


Point of Origin

by idigam



Series: Red Blade [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Fish out of Water, Galaxy Garrison, Galra Keith (Voltron), Infiltration, Keith only kind of knows what he's doing, Spy Keith (Voltron), Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-19 16:13:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15513612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idigam/pseuds/idigam
Summary: Keith is tasked with finding the Voltron lion on earth before Zarkon can get to it. Which involves returning home for the first time in nearly a decade, a home he has little context for.





	1. Return to Sender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolivan sighs deeply, bracing himself, “I think I owe you the full truth Keith, because we need you, in the same capacity we need your fathers. But to do this I need to tell you how you came to us, and about your mother.”

Keith freezes, his mother, everything he’s ever wanted is here at the edge of his grasp. He nods stiffly, unable to trust his voice to speak.

 

Kolivan starts making drinks, the bioluminescent fungi and crystals having reached their full brightness. “We knew that Zarkon was searching for something in the quadrant the includes the Sol system, the name humans gave to their system. We sent your mother, Krolia, to investigate it, what we weren’t expecting was for her and her partner to be attacked in the process. Krolia survived the attack, Jorian, her partner, did not.”

 

Kolivan puts a warm drink in front of Keith and pulls up a few files on his own terminal, gesturing for Keith’s data chip, which Keith hands over.

 

“She was marooned on Earth for deca-phoebs, we don’t know how long exactly. Apparently the man who would eventually send you to us, your birth father, helped her recover. You were born during this period. Eventually Zarkon discovered the Sol system, Krolia left in order to wage a misinformation and sabotage campaign. She’s been fairly successful, but Zarkon’s attention has turned back to the Sol quadrant, and she’s not in that part of the Empire anymore.”

 

Keith freezes, “she’s alive?” It’s a whisper, delicate and fragile as rime.

 

“Yes, she’s been undercover deep in the Empire’s ranks, thanks to her efforts we now know what Zarkon is after and why it’s so important for someone who can blend in to return to Sol for us.”

 

Keith stands up ready to shout at Kolivan, to berate him for never once telling him his mother was alive, for never telling Thace his sister was alive. Kolivan looks at him ready for it, “we couldn’t risk her being compromised, she would have truly died if she were.”

  
The words die in Keith’s throat, what if he had been the one to get her killed? What if his father had been? His blood father accepted her decision, he’s accepted his other father’s reasons for leaving. It hurts, but is it so much worse to never meet someone you don’t really know? Not when he might lose those who raised him to their own missions.

  
Keith goes limp the fight leaving his body and sits back down, Kolivan lets out a breath.

 

“You need someone to infiltrate Earth, to find what’s Zarkon’s searching for. I’ll do it, I can’t keep sitting around here hoping they come back, I’m ready Kolivan, just tell me what I need to do.” Keith’s voice is filled with icy determination.

 

“He’s searching for one of the lions of Voltron.”

 

Keith’s eyes go wide, “you can’t be serious? Voltron’s a children’s story, Ulaz told it to me to help me sleep on the mobile base. It’s a myth, a fairy tale.”

 

Kolivan’s smile turns wry, “apparently not, Zarkon is obsessed with finding it, resources across the Empire have been diverted to it.”

 

Keith feels like he’s been punched, it’s too much, Kolivan hands back his data chip and numbly he takes it, inserting it into his armor’s own processor. “I’ve given you everything your mother ever sent me about Earth and Voltron, in addition to the files your father sent you have two phoebs to learn as much as you can. After that you’ll be given a long range skimmer to Earth, you’ll need to dismantle it once you have a forward operating base set up.”

 

Keith smiles, and stands, “go to Earth, find the lion, knowledge or death.”

 

He salutes Kolivan, “vrepit sa.”

 

Kolivan salutes, but it’s stiff, like it pains him.  
****

 

 

Keith piles everything he can into his shuttle, “there’s a desert near where my father lived, it’s remote and will likely remain undisturbed, it will be ideal for a forward outpost.”

 

Kolivan nods at his choice, Antok suggests fortifications that wont draw attention.

 

“My first order of business will be to acquire clothes and designation in their government systems, Regris any news on that front?”

 

Regris begins sending files from his armor’s computing system to Keith’s, “there’s a municipality close to your outpost location. There will be a government building located there somewhere, based on what I’ve found their communications system is still primitive. My worm should have no problem getting the information you need. Just find a way into the building, and on to one of their terminals.”

 

Keith nods, “good, I’ve kept certain relevant pieces of human etiquette and culture on my personal system. I’ll review it en route,” he turns to Kolivan, and nods and gets ready to enter his ship.

 

“Kit, wait,” Keith turns only to find himself enveloped in a hug, “the lion is secondary, I know I’ve always said the mission comes first, but, come back to us.”

 

Keith’s eyes go wide before he smiles and returns the hug, “I’ll return with the lion, just wait, Voltron will rise again. We will turn this war, even if it takes another ten thousand deca-phoebs, we’ll never stop fighting, you taught me that Kolivan.”

****

 

 

The blades arranged for Keith to be brought close to the quadrant he needs via a Balmeran crystal transport. It’s a trip that takes almost a full quintant, most of which is spent alternating between the Earth information and piloting the ship.

 

Eventually he comes to the system, approaching the largest planet in the system he activates the ship’s general scrambler, scans indicating there are several science and communications satellites. Thanks to his skills in the cockpit he’s able to dodge most of their lines of sight, though one of them still ends up needing to be shot down.

 

Keith activates the various atmospheric shields, and prepares for descent.

 

Landing outside the small town that they’d discovered he sets about camouflaging his skimmer. Then he makes his way to town.

 

First thing is to set himself up with an identity in the system. It’s not actually difficult, Keith Kogane exists, just as a missing presumed dead child. Absorbing his own identity for the sake of the mission feels almost poetic.

 

Next clothes, his masked appearance is markedly different to even the few people out late, and would likely terrify them.

 

There’s a small department store where he finds what he needs, he deactivates the alarm and then activates his blade sheering through the door around it’s lock.

 

Apparently the alarm had a secondary system, because a police officer pulls up outside as he finishes bagging his supplies. He curses and then gets into position sandwiched between the door frame and a cabinet. The officer enters, gun drawn having seen the door.

 

Keith waits silent and tense, until the officer is just past him then he hits the officer’s wrist forcing him to drop the gun and wraps one arm around the man’s neck. Squeezing until he stops thrashing, checking his vitals to make sure he hasn’t started off killing someone who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time he gathers his things and leaves.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> The Mission: Nightstalker, Kenji Kawai
> 
> Departing for the Unknown: Komm Susser Tod
> 
> Infiltration: Path of the Warrior, Brian Tyler


	2. Adrift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of a Galra operative.

The next day Keith uses his system to tap into the planets communication system, referred to as the internet by the people there. He sets about building his desert outpost, taking apart his skimmer as Regris had walked him through. The ship’s comm-array is re-purposed into a device that hijacks the satellites used to carry the web signals to different machines.

 

The anti-gravity generator and thruster system is set aside, with luck he’ll find someone who knows machines that won’t ask questions to help make a more “Earthling” transport vehicle from them.

 

Next he goes back into town, hijacks a machine used to dispense currency and makes for a place that sells building materials. “Is there anywhere around here I can get or rent a vehicle?”

 

The man behind the counter, probably around seventeen, gives him a funny look, “kid, I don’t know if you’re old enough to drive but I can certainly tell you are not old enough to rent a car.”

 

Keith frowns at this, “I see.”

 

The other man just laughs, “new in town? I could help you out if you’d like.”

 

Keith smiles and decides to take advantage of the man’s offer.

 

“Cool, I get done in about thirty, I’ll see you in a bit.”

****

 

 

The man looks around askance, “you live out here?”

 

Keith shrugs, “with this stuff it’s shelter and it’s got water, so that works for me.”

 

The guy nods, “thanks for the help, what do I owe you?” Keith asks getting out of the vehicle the guy referred to as a ‘truck.’

 

The man just laughs, “you really aren’t from around here, no need to worry guy I-” he’s cut off by a musical sound then he pulls out a communication device and begins talking in a hurried language Keith is unfamiliar with.

 

“Sorry,” he mouths to Keith, before throwing his truck into gear and driving off, all in all a strange though not wholly unpleasant encounter.

****

 

 

Collecting what he can, the rest of the quintant is spent reconstructing the small shack around the environmental shielding from the skimmer. It’s hot and unpleasant work, even with the protection of his Blade uniform.

 

Eventually all that’s left of his skimmer are the parts that need to be used elsewhere, and the trunk with his supplies. Drawing water from the well Keith sets about cleaning himself before setting up his sleeping pallet.

 

All of this is the basics of the basic, all Blades are taught some survival, but, it occurs to him he’s going to need to figure out much more than that if he wants to survive.

 

Keith lets out a loud groan, tossing and turning, dealing with the rapidly dropping temperature.

 

Eventually he falls into a fitful sleep.

****

 

 

With the morning comes the issue of tacking stock, and setting his priorities of the day, first comes food, which is limited, he was given the means to get to point B and some emergency supplies.

 

Next comes finding out more information, Keith can sense the nearness of, something. What that something is eludes him, like grasping at a word on the tip of one’s tongue but just out of reach.

 

Whatever it is Keith can’t help but think of water, that this thing is fluid and slippery so different from the fire he’s used to calling out to in training or flight.

 

He can still feel the fire, but this elusive quintessence is closer.

 

Stepping out into the desert he goes, decideing to shift, going through the motions of his stances and forms. Going from one leaping kick into a strike, running against one of the nearby rock walls before somersaulting into an overhead blow.

 

He slides slightly at the end of it, “tch,” he looks down at his footing, off, not used to practicing on the loose dirt of the new environment he mentally notes to practice it more.

 

Stretching and deciding to groom a bit he still has to figure out what’s where. And how to go about getting information.

****

 

 

First thing he learns about Earth, he knows very little about Earth. Even with his studies of human anatomy, his own language, everything he and the Blades had. People still look at him funny.

 

The second thing is people assume he’s foreign, having grown up with the Galra and used primarily Galra language he’s aware he has an accent. Apparently there are places to buy a computer and set it up, it’s frustrating though, having to rely on the skimmer’s communication relay means having to figure out a way to jury rig a connection to his computer, without destroying it.

 

 _I told you to pay attention, I told you that this would be important but did you listen to me? Nope, you don’t care about tech unless it can hurl you through the void at ludicrous and unsafe speeds._ Despite the “I told you so” nature of it, Keith smiles at the thought. It’s almost like having Regris nagging over his shoulder.

 

Third thing he notices; he wants to go home. Homesickness is a liability in a spy, but it’s hard to imagine the vast openness of Earth as ever having been home. The strange smell of the air, not recycled through the base’s filtration, human sweat, dust, vegetation, animal anything, it’s overwhelming especially to the sensitive Galran nose.

 

It’s also so much brighter, even at night, then the subdued lighting of the Blade’s headquarters. He buys a pair of sunglasses as his next decision. _Galra possess a biological structure called a_ _tapetum lucidum_ his inner Ulaz supplies. _Humans do not, but you do in both forms, you’ll be able to see in dimmer light but it means that you’ll be more sensitive to it. Even on Daibazaal we were a largely nocturnal species, ten thousand years adrift in massive floating caves has only furthered that._

 

Keith also has to pick up supplies, realizing he doesn’t have a way to effectively store perishables, “bluh, dry meat it is.” He grumbles putting his head on the cold door to a refrigerated unit, unless he’s interested in hunting for himself. Right now he’s not, but as the over salted and chemical taste of the jerky hits him it’s something he’s definitely going to make a point of.

 

 _Humans are omnivorous, something we share with them for the most part, however, we, and this is something you’ve inherited, require taurine. This can be gained through various additions to your diet. Further there are compounds that humans eat recreationally that Galra find exceedingly toxic, suffice to say we didn’t try to see if you can eat them safely._ Keith’s face puckers with distaste, a drink that possesses taurine in high quantities seemed like a good purchase. Too bad the taste reminds him of the time he was six and tried putting one of his dad’s hygiene products in his mouth.

 

Throwing himself back onto a park bench he groans, “Earth quiznaking sucks. Imperial conquest might actually be good for this backwater void damned rock.”

 

A shadow falls over him and he looks up frowning, there are three boys standing over him. “New here?”

 

The one whose posture screams dominant smiles at him, Keith tries to puzzle its meaning. Among the Galra open mouthed smiles like this one is often a threat display. He remembers Thace telling him that many species express comradery through the expression and it has caused issues between the Galra and other people. Even before the age of conquest.

 

“Just hanging around till I find something to do,” he states with clear ambivalence. Keith’s not particularly keen on making small talk.

 

“How nice, some vacation from, where are you from Europe?” It’s then he notices one of the boys trying to grab the bag with his portable computer in it.

 

Without breaking eye contact with the leader he grabs the would-be thief’s hand and twists, hard.

 

The boy yelps and the leaders smile turns into a snarl, they all move towards him. Keith responds by dodging between them dragging the thief with him and causing a three-way collision. He lets go of the hand and delivers a kick to the leader.

 

He growls low in his throat and he has to remind himself to cut it off. It’s not a human sound, he picks up his bags and stalks off.

****

 

 

Arriving at his shack-not-home place he boots up his computer and sets about trying to brute force it with his own tech. It takes a while, and most of that time is spent using the communications array to force the computer (henceforth known as infernal machine) to do what he wants.

 

Kolivan’s voice berates him for his lack of patience, that if he wants to solve a complex problem he needs to walk through it carefully and with focus.

 

After much fighting, and words that Ulaz and Thace would both ground him from flight training for a movement for using, the infernal machine is finally doing its job.

 

The first thing he does is look up communications, geo-surveys, and space programs.

 

It’s really quiznacking boring, merger between NASA and private telecommunications companies, words and names that mean absolutely nothing to him beyond the abstract. During the push for mars resulted in the formation of an institute called the “Galaxy Garrison.”

 

When he reads that Keith laughs, loud, long, and shameless, glad he’s not in a public space using their wireless, like he had been to set up the infernal machine in the first place. Really though? “Galaxy Garrison” he can’t help but laugh, this planet is oblivious to the universe at large, the sheer arrogance of naming something “Galaxy” anything when they haven’t even cleared their system is nothing short of comedic. Still it’s his best bet for finding out if the lion is anywhere in the system.

 

If it’s not then he’ll have to try and break into whatever ship Zarkon sends to earth and try and use the Empire’s search himself. That will be a completely different headache.

 

Still there seems to be an online aptitude course, unfortunately he has no real address, the shack is in the middle of nowhere, built on the skeletal remains of a previous shack.

 

He’d tries to find out the location’s official jurisdiction, but the closest he can get is the longitude and latitude. So whatever he puts that in.

 

They want to know his education, Keith makes a frustrated noise.

 

He types out “raised by intergalactic spy organization,” before deleting it. The next hour is spent looking up the various levels of education for the planet. Apparently he’s supposed to be in High School, which means he’s not recognized as an adult. Which means he can’t join.

 

 _Unless_ _I’m_ _willing to break in to the place,_ crosses his mind. Luckily the Garrison has a boarding school program, one that costs a lot of money. Though it’s also one that has a number of scholarships.

 

 _Alright, I can work with this_ , he thinks taking on the test, which is not actually very difficult. He scores above average on almost everything, including math, which comes as a surprise since mathematics and engineering were very much not his strong suits beyond repairing fighters and cargo ships.

 

The exception to all of this is English and History which he scores below average and abysmally on respectively. Even with the search programs of the internet at his fingertips.

 

His biology aptitude however is in the top five percentile according to the records they provide. _Sure whatever, if I’m not accepted I’ll just break in_ Keith thinks while submitting his score results. (He’s tempted to bump “break in” to plan A.)

****

 

The next day he receives a phone-call from the Garrison’s schooling program. “Is this Keith Kogane?”

 

The woman on the other ends sounds friendly enough, without body language it’s hard to tell, “this is he.” Keith responds in as friendly a tone as he can, though it probably comes out as distracted since he’s currently skinning a jack rabbit.

 

There are benefits to not using video chat.

 

“Hi Keith, this is Colleen Holt, I’m the dean of admissions for the Garrison’s early achievers program. We received your application and scores last night and I was wondering if you have an opportunity to come in and speak with me regarding enrollment. We’d be interested in having you here with us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In addition to the soundtrack I'm introducing a new thing which are relevant Galra facts touched on in the chapter.  
> The Galra language is very heavy on sounds made in the chest and throat, certain sounds like M, S, and a tendency to roll Rs is also prevalent. Because of this Keith has a relatively thick accent that for context could be likened to a mix of a German and Spanish accent.
> 
> Soundtrack:  
> Desert Home: Garudo Desert Toru Minegishi, Asuka Ota, Koji Kondo
> 
> Being Human: Theme of Lischero Okage ost
> 
> Tinkering with Tech: It’s so Wonderful The World Ends With You ost


	3. Galra in the Garrison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith doesn't really get people, and he's oblivious to two new allies entering his life.

Colleen Holt is, it turns out a kindly looking woman, with a sharp mind, apparently she handles a lot of Garrison administrative work.

 

Keith shakes her hand and they sit down, “I’ll level with you Keith, you’ll need to work very hard but we do want you to be a part of this program. You’re aptitude put you at, frankly, an unheard of level of medical experience for your age, and if you wouldn’t mind we’d like to move on to practical exams today. If you do well there we can move you to the dorms and have you start classes come September,” Keith makes a note to look up “September” when he gets a chance.

 

“Are my English and History scores not going to be a problem?” He asks somewhat nervously, “I know the work you do for the Garrison means you’ve probably seen more impressive scores than those, also my tech scores aren’t too great either.”

 

She raises an eyebrow, “and what do I do for the Garrison Mr. Kogane?”

 

Keith wants to snap, but the sites he found said that was the worst decision, “I read that it’s best to research a company and it’s departments during an interview.”

 

She looks somewhat stunned then starts laughing, “oh my, Keith this is an enrollment, not a job interview.”

 

He’s blushing now, he buries his head in his hands, “I know that I’m just, it’s been a bit of a culture shock.”

 

She waves him off, “yes that is a unique accent you have, I’ve heard similar but nothing quite like it where are you from?”

 

“East Europe,” he replies, it seems like the easiest response given the assumptions people tend to make, and a little research.

 

She nods, “right, well what I want you to look at first is our biology program, emphasis in medicine and health. That was the area you shined in on the exams and I’m here to make sure the students are placed where their interests and talents can be applied.”

 

Keith nods, “I learned most of that from my dad, he’s a doctor back home,” he wasn’t planning on volunteering information, but if he’s going to be seeing her frequently a credible backstory with a basis in truth will be a necessity.

 

“Really?” She looks at him, “I would understand the basics but you breezed through the first-aide/CPR test. As well as some complex bio-chemistry.”

 

“Well, biology is a real interest of his, and it was a military base so all hands helped if there was an accident, or something else. I guess I just grew up with it.”

 

She makes a thoughtful sound, “you have an interest in it or is it just a skill through experience? I don’t want you in a program where you’re bored senseless.”

 

“I like it, flight simulations and martial arts were my other major fields, but honestly, I’ve always liked feeling like I could help save people, or at least help them recover.”

 

Colleen smiles at this, “admirable, and not enough people feel that way, the Garrison is still an organization with roots in the military, people do tend to latch on to things like piloting ships and fighting, the more ‘romantic’ aspects I suppose. Though we’ll need to see if you’re as good as you claim in the flight simulator.”

 

There’s a knock at the door, “sorry to interrupt Ms. Holt but Mr. Harris said you were looking for me?”

 

Colleen heaves a put-upon sigh, “you come over for dinner at least every other week Shiro, call me Colleen; _please._ Anyway this is Keith, he’ll be attending come fall, I want you to take him to do his practicals, I’ve listed the ones we’re set for here. Though you only need to do the A section today. Keith this is Takashi Shirogane, but he goes by Shiro.”

 

Keith leans backwards over his chair enough to see the other man, he squints, something about the guy looks familiar but he can’t place it. The feeling is apparently mutual because once he sees him the other’s eyes go wide, “you!”

 

Keith taken off guard reverts to his default, which is to point at himself and somewhat sarcastically say “me.”

 

The man, Shiro rolls his eyes, Colleen looks between them, “you two know each other?”

 

Shiro shrugs, “not really, this is the kid that came in bought some lumber and got a lift out to the desert.”

 

Colleen looks at Keith askance but he just focuses on Shiro, “OH! Truck guy!”

 

Shiro puts one hand over his face and Colleen’s formerly somewhat suspicious look disintegrates when she starts laughing.

 

“Yes Keith, truck guy,” Colleen says shooting an unimaginably smug look at Shiro, “and now you know how I feel when I hear ‘oh Matt’s mom.’”

 

Shiro’s face turns very red, “that was one time!”

****

 

 

After that bit of awkwardness Shiro’s taking him down the halls, “so how old are you if you don’t mind me asking...”

 

“Fourteen,” Keith’s research tells him this means he’s of an acceptable age to be here.

 

Shiro stops and balks at him, _okay,_ Keith thinks, _everything I’ve looked at tells me I am not the one being weird here._

 

“Is this another one of those etiquette things I didn’t get? Am I not supposed to answer that question?” Ketih growls.

Humans are one of the most frustrating species he’s ever encountered. Anytime he’s had to go to another world and meet with a new group they at least understand the halfway point between themselves and Galra, just by necessity.

 

Here he has to make all the accommodations, give all the ground, and it’s not fair! Okay yes maybe that is kitten logic, but dammit according to the Empire he’s still a fucking cub so he’s not going to apologize.

 

He’s apparently making one of his more Galra angry noises because Shiro’s backed off and is displaying threatened prey signals. “Sorry,” he says and Keith is stunned, no human has ever apologized for giving him crap, “I thought you were way younger then fourteen, you look,” Keith knows he’s small, he knows he has a bit of a baby face. Even by human standards.

 

“Ah sorry, you probably hear that all the time,” Shiro rubs the back of his head going from frightened prey to embarrassed human.

 

Then his face gets serious, “listen, not everyone’s going to be okay with someone your age and appearance being in the programs Colleen recommended you for. Anyone gives you trouble tell either her or me okay?”

 

Keith stands up straighter and bristles, “I can take care of myself!”

Shiro just pushes him towards the medical labs, “I have no doubt but you don’t want to be suspended or expelled for fighting do you?”

 

“Do you guys not have sparring? Back home it’s what’d we do if two recruits or even officers had a problem, let them fight it out in the ring.”

 

Shiro looks at him weird, “no, not really.”

 

“Oh,” He says; _well, humans are weird,_ instead of saying that part out loud Keith follows Shiro into one of the med-labs.

****

 

 

The medical test starts out easy, first-aide, CPR on a wide range of test dummies, the infant one was actually a challenge since Ulaz hasn’t made him practice that as rigorously.

 

Setting broken bones, sprains, and various wounds, goes much more easily this isn’t just what he’s trained in. It’s what he has the most practical experiences with.

 

Recognizing infection, hypothermia, heat exhaustion, and treating that comes next. Less experience but not an unheard of to show up on base or in the field.

 

Diagnosis is also easy, mostly because it’s basic illness treatment.

 

The most difficult part is the hypothetical of a cause of death. Not because of the pictures, but this is the part of the job Ulaz had explicitly tried to shield him from. Especially if the victim was someone recovered from the druids.

 

Keith sits on a counter kicking his legs slightly while Shiro talks to someone over the telephone, probably Colleen. “Sorry I didn’t do as well on the COD practicals, I don’t have that mu-” his voice cuts off at the weird look Shiro gives him.

 

“Keith, I was told to get you through the practicals up to your skill level, those were _college_ level requirements.” Keith just tilts his head, he knows he doesn’t have any formal college or high-school experience so Shiro’s comment and the shock in his voice is just confusing.

 

“I don’t understand,” is all he says and Shiro just shakes his head.

 

“Lets just try something else.”

 

They go through the rest, his English, and Social Studies scores are as abysmal as they were on the aptitude application. Worse in the case of English because they added specific writers and history to it.

 

Keith could tell you the exact date that Daibazaal was lost, the life and times of commander Hazar who founded his house and would marry the empress at the time. The tribal nature of the Galra and their eventual unification. The Olkari’s first forays into space, and the revolutionary additions to space travel and technology that was achieved when they joined the Altean Confederacy. The tragedy of Daibazaal and the ruin of Altea and all the controversy around it.

 

Shakespeare? Walt Whitman? Mary Shelly? Terry Pratchett? All names with no context what-so-ever.

 

Presidents? The concept may not be entirely foreign, there are systems that elect their governors, particularly systems brought to heel by prince Lotor. But all of that happens under the thumb of Emperor Zarkon. The United Nations sounds similar to what the historical accounts say the Altean Confederacy was supposedly like. But it all sounds so, fanciful, he keeps his mouth shut but Shrio’s face says it all.

 

Thank the Ancestors for math, sure it’s not his strongest subject, calculus, and algebra tend to get a bit abstract for him unless applied to things like physics, aerodynamics, or something similar. But math works the same for everyone, physics doesn’t favor the Empire or the Blade. Okay sometimes it favors the Druids, but they’re magic assholes who cheat.

 

Shiro’s been quiet throughout the exams, it’s been helpful because Keith likes to work in silence if he has to focus. Sure there’s always something going on at the Blade headquarters but it’s never the loud aggressive need for chit-chat humans display. The Blade understands silence, and Galra, despite being extremely social within their prides are not social with strangers.

 

Shiro tells him that the last things they’re going to do is the flight exam with the B section. Keith has never been one for excessive gratitude but he could purr and scent the man for giving him a manual to study. Different species use different designs but there’s a pretty similar means through all of them. Designs that work, among space faring races, which humans are not, unless one really broadens their definitions. Keith might just be a bit too spiteful to do that at this point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> Enter Shiro: Guts Theme, Susumu Hirasawa
> 
> Exams of the Garrison: Crossroads, Tom Day


	4. Shiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro.exe has stopped working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So something a little different, there are going to be a couple of chapters that are almost or entirely from an external viewpoint. Those are going to be the ones with character names as their titles. Also dialogue in the brackets is supposed to indicate another language, Shiro's family tends to speak Japanese at home. Now without further ado, Dad Friend(TM) Shiro.

The boy he remembers from his day job, one of his most memorable customers honestly. Not quite on the level of weird as the guy who tried to pay him with an egg. But a random kid from a foreign country buying a bunch of lumber to fix up a shack out in the middle of the desert is probably number two.

 

He didn’t talk much during their ride, Shiro decided not to push when he had the chance either, but the kid’s response to him in Colleen’s office screamed “smartass.”

 

He realizes that between the weirdness of the situation and the awkwardness of the kid not speaking they never did introduce themselves to each other.

 

Colleen hands Shiro the tests she wants them to got through and _what? Is she insane or does she really expect some ten or twelve year old kid to try junior to college level health? Not to mention the fitness and piloting exams in the B section._

 

The kid just follows him, outside the remark earlier the kid’s lapsed back into silence. Shiro breaks the ice asking about his age, he can’t be that young if he’s joining the Garrison school.

 

Fourteen was not what he expected, he’s inclined to call bullshit but the kid snarls at him. Like sure he gets angry and yells something at Shiro but the noise he makes after that, like an almost roar followed by a low growl in the back of his throat. It reminds Shiro less of someone he’s pissed off and more of the trip to the zoo when one of the tigers threw a fit at another.

 

So the kid has a temper, but then, it hits him. Not only is this something this kid’s gotten a lot, not to mention being constantly underestimated because of it, but he’s clearly not from here, probably qualifies as homeless, and is dealing with some serious culture shock.

 

His heart breaks, Matt says he’s a sap, and a total Dad, says it like a title. He even had business cards made last April first the little shit. Of course Katie had helped her brother, but he has no proof. There will be vengeance.

 

He looks Keith in the eye, “listen, not everyone’s going to be okay with someone your age and appearance being in the programs Colleen recommended you for. Anyone gives you trouble tell either her or me okay?”

 

It’s the truth, and he can’t help that it needs to be said but if the kid gets expelled or worse beat-up Shiro doesn’t know if he wouldn’t be able to keep from trying to get him adopted by his family or the Holts. Katie would totally help if it came to that though, if only to annoy Matt.

 

“Do you guys not have sparring? Back home it’s what’d we do if two recruits or even officers had a problem, let them fight it out in the ring.” _Recruits, officers, back home?_ the pieces line up, _military brat._

 

Shiro tries to imagine that kind of environment, it would probably cut down on a lot of drama and animosity if the commander managed it well (which given how alien the idea that it isn’t like that here is to the kid it probably was.)

 

He has to try not to laugh, not wanting to offend the kid again, because the image of the line down the base for the opportunity to beat Iverson senseless without consequence comes unbidden to mind.

 

He just pushes the kid to the lab they’re supposed to use, hopefully that will distract him long enough for Shiro to hide his smirk.

****

 

 

Okay, so, the kid goes from a bit odd, to off putting. Shiro has seen people wince and look away and in the case of one unfortunate cadet, run to the bathroom and vomit. But Keith? Keith is going through the photos of lacerations, punctures, electrical burns, and (Shiro’s personal nightmare fuel) avulsion wounds like they’re just another thing to address, like a chore list.

 

The real shocker is the practicals of it, he has Keith dress a number of different hypothetical wounds. Not only does he do it quickly, neatly, and with care, but he actually nags Shiro for moving too much pointing out that if this were a break or wound what Shiro just did would cause him lots of pain and aggravate the injury.

 

By the end he’s calling Colleen to report this to her, “you could have warned me.”

 

He can tell by the tone of her voice that she’s endlessly amused, Katie gets her sadistic streak from her mother. “I take it that his ability to actually perform first-aide is on the level of his writing about it?”

 

“I’d probably be more willing to have this kid treat me next time I get knocked on my butt in physical than nurse Jones.” Shiro deadpans.

 

Colleen laughs, “careful Shiro, if he hears you say that you might not survive.”

 

Keith makes a small apology for not doing well when asked to try and determine theoretical cause of death in someone. Which was something Shiro had decided to throw in to mess with Keith for growling at him. His mind blanks slightly trying to decide on _is this kid for real? You aren’t actually expected to be a surgeon you know?_ And _how? Just how?_

 

He settles on changing the subject.

****

 

 

The subject change is English followed by Social Studies, and wow, okay, so geography is his least awful subject in those two. But wow, it’s like the kid hasn’t heard of Shakespeare, or the U.S. or E.U. and honestly it’s almost like the idea of a president is, not alien so much as theoretical and slightly outlandish.

 

Like multiverse theory, which Samuel tried to explain to him once and his eyes glazed over.

 

He’s tempted to ask if this kid’s an alien but he thinks better of it because he’s clearly getting frustrated. Not just by his scores but the questions themselves.

 

“What’s the point of this? If these dead guys are so interesting then I’ll read about them, and their books, but what does that have to do with flying a ship? Or dressing a wound? Or exploring the quadrant? Or anything else we’ll be doing when we work for the Garrison?” The kid throws up his arms after the last quiz.

 

Shiro just smiles, history may in fact be a favorite subject of his, so dealing with people disinterested in it or frustrated by it is something he’s used to.

 

“Well, it’s important to learn about the people who got us where we are now. To expand on their knowledge and learn how they got there. It’s also important to look at where we as a people went wrong so we can avoid going there again. Human history has a lot of dark periods that, personally, I’d rather not see repeated.”

 

Keith looks like he wants to say something, probably another quip, but he doesn’t. It happens a lot, like there’s something he knows will vindicate him but that it’s not appropriate or he’s afraid. It’s actually kind of funny to Shiro, this kid who almost made him want to run for the nearest adult by growling, is freaked out by a history text book.

 

Luckily after swallowing his comment, Keith looks like he’s actually thinking about it. Usually people just brush it off. Shiro’s gonna call this a win.

 

Math and physics are more in Keith’s range of understanding. Katie calls math and computer science the universal language, and it does seem that way given how Keith tackles it. It’s not quite to her level, or the level of a couple of the engineering cadets but it’s not something to sneeze at. He can definitely be called above average, probably should look into the AP courses.

 

He’s mentally planning what should go on to Keith’s schedule when he kicks himself, _one not your job Takashi, two Matt will never let you hear the end of it if you’re acting like he’s your kid after only four hours._

****

 

 

“Alright Keith, that should be everything for the A section. That just leaves physical conditioning, piloting, and the engineering practicals.” Shiro makes a mental note to give the kid a manual to study before he leaves.

 

“When are you free to come back?”

 

“I have no plans tomorrow and I’d like to get this done quickly.”

 

Shiro sighs, it’s like playing twenty questions where one player knows half the rules and the other knows the other half. “Keith, tomorrow’s Saturday. You know the weekend?”

 

Keith looks at him like telling him the day of the week is obvious and pointless.

 

“No one will be here, none of the ed buildings will be open.”

 

“Why?” Keith asks like that’s the most idiotic thing he’s heard.

 

“Because it’s the weekend?” Shiro replies cautiously.

 

“You said that already,” now Keith sounds annoyed with Shiro and not just the situation.

 

“I can’t really explain it any better than that. Don’t they have breaks in your country?”

 

Keith nods, “of course, but they are taken at intervals during each quin- er, day, there’s never a time where any location’s just closed for the whole day.”

 

 _Right, military base, probably wouldn’t close down just for the weekend,_ he has to remind himself. The way Keith grew up he’s almost from another world entirely.

 

“Well Monday is when everything opens back up again so how about that?” Keith nods then turns to leave.

 

“Hey wait! You need a ride back to your… place?” It’s hard to call an empty shack in the middle of nowhere a home.

 

Keith looks at him like the offer is alien but the fragile hope on his face is heartbreaking, “really?”

 

Shiro smiles slightly, “yeah, just let me drop this off with Colleen.”

 

“Just wait out here, I’ll only be a couple of minutes okay?” Keith has a seat picking up one of the magazines left for waiting parents.

 

“So?” Colleen asks clearly amused, “interesting one isn’t he?”

 

Shiro shakes his head, “I wouldn’t have believed you if you just told me. But yeah, what he’s good at he’s really good at, what he considers himself average at he’s still pretty good at. He’s grown up in a bubble though. I don’t think he’s got any real skills dealing with people.”

 

Colleen nods, “true, which is why I called you to take him through his practicals.”

 

Shiro frowns and his cheeks color slightly, “I’m not that bad. But I was planning on giving him a ride home if you wouldn’t mind covering me for the last half of Harris’ class.” Then realizing exactly the implications, “okay maybe I am that bad.”

 

Colleen gives him a look, “you are completely that bad, but it’s why my kids love you and why I’m okay having you around them.”

 

“Thanks mom,” Shiro drawls sarcastically.

****

 

 

Arriving home Shiro takes off his shoes and gets ready to eat with his family. The kid has electricity he reminds himself, remembering the dull purple light coming from that shack. Still he can’t shake the feeling he’s doing Keith a disservice leaving him out there.

 

{Takashi is that you?} He can hear his grandmother call from the kitchen.

{Coming} he answers back and arrives to find his grandmother and younger cousin in the kitchen making dinner.

 

{You’re late Takashi,} his grandmother scolds but there’s no heat to the words.

 

{I gave a new classmate a ride after school} he responds kissing her cheek before going to set the table.

 

{Oh? New friend?} she asks him.

 

{She hot?} His cousin chimes in earning a glare from their grandmother.

 

{ _ **He’s**_ your age} Shiro replies unamused, lightly rapping his cousin on the head.

 

Earning him a weak rat-tail from the wet wash cloth, their grandmother decides to end the issue {Ryou go wash you hands, Takashi finish setting the table.}

 

{Yes grandma} they both parrot.

 

While setting the table Shiro looks at his grandmother, {would it be alright if I invite my new classmate over sometime?}

 

His grandmother studies him for a moment {you’re a good boy Takashi} she says after a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Shiro: Guts Theme, Susumu Hirasawa
> 
> Minefield: Forest, Akria Yamaoka
> 
> Quiet: Rain, Joe Hisaishi


	5. The Holts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little look into the new dynamic.

They start with physical, reflexes, strength and endurance. Keith has excellent reflexes, slightly below average strength, but he makes up for it with insane flexibility and agility. He can also still make it to the top of the rope, something most of the cadets still look at like some kind of torture device.

 

Unfortunately as Shiro learned having to step in on the pacer when Keith started to turn red, his stubbornness outpaces his actual physical endurance.

 

During his stretch test Shiro looks the boy askance, “how flexible are you? Like, I’m starting to think you could put your legs behind your head.”

 

Keith looks up at him, “I can,” he bluntly states, then rolls backward until, yes his legs are behind his head.

 

“I should just stop asking you to prove things rhetorically shouldn’t I?”

 

Keith actually smiles and holy hell, it’s radiant, “I’d rather you didn’t surprising you is fun.”

 

Shiro’s brain short circuits and only one word is present in his vocabulary at the moment, _adorable._

****

 

 

Keith is really glad he got that manual, it’s still hell booting this thing up, and using it, it’s slow and unresponsive compared to what he’s used to. Worse, human ships are much less streamlined designs than Galra or Olkari ships, so there’s more micro managing.

 

Luckily, it’s still flight, even in this most watered down of aspects, and flight is who Keith is.

 

Sure he’s grown up with medicine, and war, those are things that will be in him until he dies, but flight is who he _is._

 

“Mind if I up the difficulty?” He asks Shiro after the first few minutes.

 

“I’ll take care of that Keith, there’s a way we’re supposed to do this.” Shiro responds over the radio.

 

“Copy that commander,” is he being cheeky? Yes; but after everything is said and done this is where he belongs and is comfortable, behind the controls of a ship.

****

 

 

Matt is on his way to the library when he notices a crowd has started to gather around the flight simulator. Meaning Shiro is there, which is nice because Shiro is rarely here early, usually he’s helping out at home. Also the early practice means there’s less of a crowd.

 

He arrives to a bit of a surprise, Shiro is involved yes, but he’s running the controls, periodically upping the difficulty which means this is a practical. He decides to watch, raw cadets are usually prone to hilarious disasters because of their tendency towards wannabe fly boys.

 

He is simultaneously disappointed, and not. What he’d been hoping was going to be a series of funny wrecks is a number of complex maneuvers performed with what could only be called grace and skill.

 

The person behind the wheel is clearly talented, but more than that, they put work into it. It’s obvious, even to Matt they aren’t used to the controls, but they compensate, applying what they do know, using near misses and close calls to shift their strategy.

 

“Alright, that’s a wrap,” Shiro calls and Matt raises an eyebrow, the difficulty’s only at about half and whoever’s flying it is clearly capable.

 

Shiro just returns the look, and cocks his head at the simulator doors which open to reveal.

  
_Holy shit an actual baby_ , Matt hides the laugh behind his hand as a loud murmur erupts through the crowd. Because this beautiful summer child has smoked the scores of most of the people here.

 

Then he notices how uncomfortable he looks.

 

“No crowd when you got here?”

 

Shrio’s face goes stern, “no.”

 

Matt sighs, “oh buddy boy of mine, you really don’t understand us wee mortals do you?”

 

Shiro looks at him askance, “I wasn’t piloting, I figured people would just hang out for like maybe two minutes then leave like usual.”

 

Matt rolls his eyes, “yeah, after the first crashes it’s not interesting, but suddenly you’re here with some wunderkind? People are gonna stare man.” Then he walks up to the very suspicious child who is eyeing him like he’s the epitome of stranger danger.

 

“Kid you wound me, I’m Shiro’s friend Matt.” He holds out his hand “and you are?”

 

The kid looks at him, then over his shoulder at Shiro; who gives him a thumbs up before turning to the assembly of cadets. “Alright, show’s over you all have classes I know for certain, the only people here should be in Iverson’s basics of flight.”

 

The kid narrows his eyes for a minute then smiles, “are you Ms. Holt’s son?”

 

Matt blinks startled, “okay, of the responses I was, wait, you’re the kid with the crazy med scores aren’t you?”

 

Keith pulls back slightly, “hey don’t worry about it, my dad’s a base commander, and you’ve met mom, my sister and I hear everything at some point.”

 

Keith seems interested in that, “does your sister go here too then?”

 

“No, thank Christ, I love the little goblin to death but she’d drive me to sororicide.”

 

Keith pouts and _oh my god he is adorable and precious, and Shiro’s probably already adopted him but who cares that makes me the fun uncle._

 

Shiro directs him away from the boy “you also have a class to attend, I have been given an exemption to finish the B section for him. You do not.”

 

Matt just shoots him a look “what are you going to do tell mom on me?”

 

Shiro smirks, “yes, and your dad.”

 

Matt blanches slightly, “evil bastard. Watch yourself Takashi, I will return with a vengeance.”

 

Keith watches him leave, “your friend is weird right?”

 

Shiro laughs, “yes Keith. that is correct, my friend is weird.”

****

 

 

The engineering practicals are nothing too interesting, he’s definitely got the chops for repairs but nothing significant regarding the programs. Still he’d definitely benefit from the auxiliary courses, maybe he’ll suggest to Colleen that Keith take flight skills and maintenance in addition to the bio-medical program. This kid was born to fly.

****

 

 

Colleen reviews Keith’s scores, she’s decided that he’s definitely worth her time but there’s a few things that don’t add up.

 

He’d be an asset to the Garrison, but his name and age are something the system pinged, specifically with regards to a Joseph Kogane. Firefighter that was declared a terrorist nearly ten years ago and killed in a standoff.

 

According to the records Joseph had a son named Keith who disappeared shortly before the raid. Interesting thing is that while Joseph’s records are, well, off, like the domestic terrorist label got slapped on so his death could get shoved into a corner. They didn’t even bother trying to link him to an organization. Keith’s records are sealed, there’s so much blacked out on the transcript she does find that it looks less like a file and more like a bar code.

 

Suffice to say, she decides not to tell anyone about this, maybe it’s the earnestness of the kid, or the fact that he seems lost most of the time. She’d observed the flight training and the way he’d practically attached himself to Shiro to avoid the remaining cadets made her resolve.

 

Maybe she does finish his registration, maybe she just happens to mistype his name Kit Koan. Whoops, administrative error.

****

 

 

The first week at the base is slightly frustrating, the teachers all mispronounce his name, which freaked him out the first time they called him Kit.

 

Now at over a month it’s almost funny, like he’s back home. Matt and Shiro have taken this weirdly protective stance of him and it’s actually really endearing to him. He wont admit that though.

 

He wants to be their friend, but is mission has to come first.

 

It’s really disconcerting the way Shiro clearly wants to ask him questions, find out the full extent of his skills but he always pulls back. Keith’s not used to this, the Blade wanted to know exactly what he could do, how much he’s developed, etc; so Shiro’s actions are strange to him.

 

He decides to ask Matt about this and Matt starts laughing, “Shiro’s trying to do what he thinks is best for you kid. You’re this intense loner so he figures you’ve got a lot of walls and boundaries he’s worried about poking.”

 

He does, but he’s a Blade, disseminating information across layers makes keeping himself safe and hidden and unattached much easier.

 

“Well he needs to stop it’s annoying, if he wants to know something he should just ask,” Keith says with finality.  
  
Matt blinks at him, like this was the opposite of his expected response, “wow, really? You’re saying there’s no tragic trauma filled past you just, don’t talk much?”

 

Keith chooses not to answer this, “you need to call me uncle Matt now you know, my BFF has decided you’re his now so it’s only right.”

 

Keith just stares Matt down, “no.”

 

Matt makes an exaggerated gesture and upon seeing Shiro walking towards them loudly announces “Shiro, your son is being rude to me!”

 

To his credit Shiro doesn’t react, he just sits down and says “good.”

 

Matt sulks taking a pull from his juice, “I have the worst friends.”

 

“I’ve only known you for like a month,” Keith points out.

 

“You’re right, we’re at the point of our friendship you should come over next time Shiro decides to mooch off of us.”

****

 

 

Going over to the Holts house is way different from going to Shiro’s.

 

He ruefully notes that like Shiro’s however he isn’t really given a say in any of it. Just a “nope you’re going you can’t survive on Garrison food.”

 

Which is actually true, but if he adds iron and taurine supplements, or in a pinch drinks one of those horrible canned things that make him feel like he’s just inhaled Galax dust, he can.

 

He chooses to indulge his acquaintances rather than argue though.

 

“Hello Shiro it’s good to see you,” a younger female member of the Holt household answers the door. Matt scoffs, “what about me Pidge?”

 

She looks at him with disdain, “mom wants to know why you skipped calculus.”

 

Then she notices him and her demeanor changes, “oh my gosh is this him?” She grabs his hand and drags him into the house. “Hi, I’m Katie, are you Keith?”

 

Keith is bewildered by her and has absolutely nothing to respond to this with. “I call time with him first since you two get to see him every day.”

 

She starts dragging him upstairs to her room, Matt just shoots a snide look her way, “you just want a new victim to show off your rig to.”

 

She sticks her tongue out at him, Keith looks desperately at Shiro, “do I get a say in this?”

 

All three just say “no,” in unison, it’s annoying, it’s like the first time he asked to fly a fighter and every Blade present had said the same thing at the same time.

 

Katie’s room is, well it’s comforting.

 

She starts pointing out her computer and everything that went into it and the system it’s integrated with. Then she gestures to the guts on the floor and says that she’s building a new system and what’s going into it. Keith finds himself sprawled across the floor head in his arms just kind of watching, listening, and smiling.

 

After a while she glares at him, “am I boring you?” There’s a haughty defensive quality to her voice but there’s also real hurt underneath it.  
  
Keith shakes his head, “no sorry, this is just really nice, my older brother is super into tech and you just remind me of him is all.”

 

He smiles sleepily, vaguely aware that he’s quietly purring, she looks a little embarrassed, “oh, uh, thanks, I think? I mean, if I’m being honest I’d probably deck someone who compared me to Matt.”

 

Keith leans up into a stretch realigning his back with the full movement, “but if you had to leave him for like four plus years you’d miss him.”

 

Katie decides not to confirm nor deny, instead she arcs a brow at him, “you do yoga or something?”

 

“What’s yoga?”

 

“Uh, it’s where you do all these crazy stretches and balancing things, my mom and dad do it in the morning, personally I think it’s really dull.”

 

Keith considers this, “I suppose, sort of? I do stretches before I practice my forms,” his voice gets a little bitter, “I’m probably getting rusty though, I haven’t had anyone to spar with in forever.”

 

Katie makes a thoughtful sound, then Keith asks his own question, “by the way, why did your brother call you Pidge?”

 

Katie snarls at the ceiling, “because he’s an ass.”

 

Okay, Keith decides he likes Katie.

****

 

 

After dinner, which was good, and full of yelling, which Keith was surprised at how much he missed. Especially since he’s not the one being scolded. There’s no heat to any of it but it’s clear Colleen and Samuel are a bit embarrassed whenever Matt decides to skirt or break the rules.

****

 

 

After dinner he’s content to just stare up at the stars. Human settlements produce a lot of light, so it’s no Olkarion night sky, or even his shack out in the desert which he still goes to whenever he can.

 

Eventually he’s snapped out of his thoughts by a soft sigh next to him. Shiro’s there, “so, you have a brother?”

 

Keith looks at him, he’s not sure how he feels that Katie mentioned it, it’s not like a secret, just, a thing, but also something he mentioned in private. “Sort of? I mean he’s adopted, but I got him adopted and he took care of me after...” The memories surface for a moment, he pushes them down. “After an accident.”

 

“What about the rest of your family? How’d you end up all the way over here?”

 

Shiro’s finally asking, and honestly, it’s nice to be asked, every fiber of his being is screaming for the bond of his pride, but they just aren’t there. It hurts, so maybe he is projecting but. “I guess technically I’m an orphan?” Honestly it’s not something he’s considered too much, he’s got his dads, and the rest of the Blade, and that’s all there is to it.

 

Shiro looks alarmed though, and _ah quiznack, he’s in protective parent mode isn’t he?_

 

Keith sighs, “I don’t need a parent Shiro okay, I have two dads already, and honestly, a whole military base.”

 

Shiro looks confused and slightly offended, Keith continues, “I think I’d rather have a friend.”

 

He does have a friend, one, Ryner is the one good thing he could say came out of his first trip to Olkarion. Still he’s got a brother and lots of dads and aunts? Uncles? Kolivan’s definitely a granpa.

 

Shiro nods, “okay, I’m definitely okay with that.”

 

“Good,” Keith looks back to the night sky, kicking his legs a little.

 

“So, if I may, what happened?”

 

Keith sags a little, “I don’t know. You know I was actually born here? Not just in this country near this place.”

 

Shiro’s eyes go a little wide, and Keith smiles, “yep, all I know about my biological parents is my mom left, she wanted to make sure my dad and I were safe. She’s a soldier, or was? I don’t know if she’s alive, I hope she is.”

 

Shiro can’t really decide how he feels about it, “your dad?”

 

“He died, I don’t know how, I just know there were problems, so I was sent to live with my mom’s brother. He and his… husband? Yeah husband works. They raised me. My uncle-dad, pops, he’s a total doofus, he’s the fun dad, or he wants to be. He works a lot though so I didn’t get to see him as much as I like. His family’s apparently really old money but they’re also colossal douche-canoes.” Why is he doing this, he shouldn’t spill his guts, but he can’t stop.

 

Shiro feels a familiar twinge, both his parents and aunt work, largely overseas, sometimes with the garrison, so he understands the want of a parent who’s gone most of the time.

 

“His husband though, he’s a doctor and he’s way more serious, or he seems that way. Really he’s such a fucking smartass. He can sass anyone, including the commander into submission if he needs to bandage them up. I told Ms. Holt, he’s where I learned everything I know about medicine. There were times where all hands were needed for something and I’d either run for bandages or other supplies. When I got older I helped with other stuff like dressing and treating. Anything that wasn’t too complex.”

 

He stands up and decides to show off a little, moving from a crouch into a few formal stances on the fence keeping close eye on his foot work. “Our second in command taught me how to fight, he said if they couldn’t be there to save me then he was damn well going to make sure I could save myself.”

 

Keith jumps and pushes off the trunk of a tree and into the higher branches. Shiro lets out a whistle, “what about your piloting?”

 

Keith thinks about that a bit. He knows he’s never telling about the strategy lessons from Kolivan, those are his and his alone.

 

“My pops, uncle, whatever, I guess. I learned most of that on his lap, but according to him my mom, his sister, was one of their best, and that it’s in my veins. Honestly, the way I feel when I fly, that’s gotta be it. When I’m flying it’s like the whole quintessence of the universe is singing to me, like I can just reach out and touch it. He reaches and enters a controlled fall. Shiro however panics and catches him.

 

“I had that under control, you could have hurt yourself you know?” Keith glares at Shiro.

 

Shiro returns it, “me? What about you? You do realize you aren’t indestructible you crazy monkey?”

 

“Matt’s right, you are absolutely a dad to your bones.”

 

Shiro drops him and he hits the ground hard enough for it to smart but not injure, it reminds him of Antok flattening him. He just starts laughing.

 

“You should spar with me sometime, sure you’re not as big as my teacher but you know something about something and it’s really boring to just do the stances and fight imaginary people.”

 

Shiro helps him up, it’s true, he and his cousin both do various martial arts. Still, “maybe,” is what he says and Keith pouts, he’s spent more time tonight looking like an actual kid then Shiro’s ever seen him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> Flight Training: Karma, Tales of the Abyss ost
> 
> Katie Holt: Calling, The World Ends With You ost
> 
> Stargazing: Behelit, Susumu Hirasawa


	6. Kerberos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm paraphrasing"

All hell breaks loose about two months after Keith’s first birthday on campus, he didn’t tell anyone, not really because it wasn’t anyone’s business.

 

Colleen gave him a card though, she respects his privacy, the card is cute, he keeps it out in the shack with a holo-display with pictures of the Blade.

 

The problem is he hasn’t been sleeping, since he moved into the base he hadn’t slept well once. He’s taken to using various sleep aids when he was not training, or exercising himself into oblivion.

 

The problem is, he has nightmares, while this is nothing new, he’s had nightmares since he was sent to the Blade.

 

When he lived with the Blade there’d always been someone to help him. He could even go spend the night with Thace and Ulaz, or Covax and Loria, or Kolivan, or Antok, or any number of other people on the base.

 

Now when he wakes up now he’s alone, alone and in the bleak sterile halls of the dorms. The nightmare sometimes goes on after he wakes. Those nights are terrifying, feeling, seeing, _smelling_ , the town laid to waste by Mogor, the crashing ship, his father’s tear streaked face. The crushing however long he’d spent drifting to the Blades, things he’ll never forget, branded into him forever, but things he thought he’d at least managed to overcome.

 

Tonight’s a bad one, tonight it's his first mission, and the first life he ever took. To bad it wasn’t just a memory, no one had been there to help, or maybe his blade had missed the generator and now Antok and Regris were dead.

 

All he knows is he’d been beaten into submission, when he’d woken with a start. But the dream didn’t end, he knew where he was _Zarkon’s Fury_ Mogor’s flagship. He’s probably about to be sold off to slavers, or his extended family, or something.

 

“Ancestors of the Void I don’t want to be a bloodline keeper.” He wont stay here, he wont end up some pretty toy for Hazar to dress up and use to secure more power and better genes.

 

He makes his way out into the halls, they’re abandoned, not even any sentries. They’re probably down subjugating Olkarion.

 

He creeps down the halls silent, as his Blade training has taught him.

****

 

 

Shiro is out patrolling the dorms, upperclassmen have to spend a certain amount of time doing things like this. Luckily he managed to get Matt roped into helping him tonight. Though Matt seems to be off somewhere. Shiro sighs and goes forward.

 

Then he almost runs into Keith, the boy is moving down the hall like he’s in a trance, his eyes glazed over, far off look in them. He’s also moving completely silently, with a precision that’s trained, this isn’t the first time Shiro’s seen him move like this. All those other times though had been sparring.

 

“Keith?” He calls out low and quiet.

****

 

 

He hears what he thinks might have been his name but what he sees is not anyone who should know his name. Mogor is bearing down on him, sadistic smile plastered across his face. It’s still bloody and scarred, and missing huge sections of flesh.

 

Keith flinches back trying to run but Mogor just laughs and lunges for him, “I have absolute power here cub, you are going to make me very rich.”

****

 

 

When he calls for him and tries to touch him Keith screams, then he pulls away moving into what Shiro knows from experience are painfully effective combat stances.

 

When Shiro hesitates Keith runs down the hall. Shiro chases him, whatever’s going on will end really badly if he runs into anyone else.

 

Eventually he manages to herd Keith into a corner, the boy lashes out hard though, with kicks and punches. Jumping off walls to try and get past him. Luckily he knows this trick from when he’s tried to force Shiro to spar with him. So he grabs Keith.

 

Wrong idea because Keith bites him.

****

 

 

Keith sinks his teeth into Mogor’s arm, “oh poor boy I-”

 

The sentence doesn’t finish it’s cut short by a loud yell of pain and Mogor’s holding him closer, something hits his cheek and the ship’s gone, it’s just the dorms. And Shiro’s holding him, tears hit his face, he realizes Shiro’s arm are where his teeth are. He opens his mouth, there’s some blood staining his uniform.

 

“Shiro? What?” Then it all comes crashing down on him and he’s overcome, he bawls into Shiro’s shirt and Shiro just makes calming sounds and pets his hair.

****

 

 

Keith snaps out of whatever was going on like he’d just been woken up. He starts crying and Shiro starts comforting him.

 

Matt rounds the corner ready to fight when he sees Shiro and Keith and notices Shiro’s arm and Keith crying. He mouths “what the fuck?” Shiro just shakes his head and gestures for Matt to leave it to him. Matt nods skeptically and walks off to continue his patrol.

****

 

 

“So…” Shiro walked into the room looking around, it was bare, all the other cadets had, well something.

 

Keith goes to his drawer pulls out a bottle of pills, shakes it once, says something in a language Shiro has never heard then tosses it in the wastebasket.

 

“It was just a nightmare,” he says glowering at Shiro he doesn’t go back to his bed though instead he grabs a small fist aid kit.

 

“Just a nightmare doesn’t cause sleep walking, or sleep fighting.”

 

Keith winces like he’s the one having disinfectant sprayed on a bite not Shiro. “It’s… nothing, just an old incident.”

 

Shrio frowns, “it’s not nothing, you could have seriously hurt yourself and I know you know that.”

 

“I’ll stay more on top of things, maybe add muscle relaxant to my medication.”

****

 

 

He finishes bandaging Shiro, the bite’s shallow, which means he didn’t shift even partway, which is an Ancestors blessed miracle.

 

“You need to talk to someone about this.”

 

Keith curses inwardly, _why wont Shiro wont let this go?_ “Later, I.”

 

Shiro crosses his arms, Keith starts to growl, he doesn’t appreciate people pushing his boundaries, his _actual_ boundaries.

 

 _Fine_ , “it was like three years ago so it’s over and done.” He moves over to the bed and throws himself on it.

 

Shiro moves to sit next to him, “doesn’t seem over to me.”

 

“You try getting kidnapped and tell me you don’t have nightmares.” He doesn’t even try to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

 

Shiro’s shocked expressions says it all, “When I was twelve my combat teacher took me and my brother on, what I guess could be called a business trip. It was just a bit of trade, we’d been sharing tech with another base. Updating eachother’s systems. It’s not even like the area was unstable politically, or dangerous or whatever, but a petty, I guess you could call him a warlord, got wind of us.”

 

Keith looks at Shiro with tired and much too old eyes, “remember how I said my dad’s old money?”

 

Shiro nods, “well, that makes me prime hostage material.”

 

Shiro just puts his arm around Keith and pulls him closer.

 

“Sorry,” it’s not enough but it’s all he knows to say.

 

Keith shrugs, “it’s not a big deal, it’s over and done, it’s just, I don’t have my dads or my brother or any of the base here, so I guess it’s harder to wake up.” He slowly traces his fingers over the scars on his hands, permanent reminders that Mogor is dead and he's not.

 

Shiro just stays there, rubbing the spot between Keith’s shoulder blades until the other boy falls asleep. He can almost think he feels vibration in the palm of his hand.

****

 

 

He hasn’t had any nightmares that bad, but he’s taken to attaching a noise maker to his door, and he adds a muscle relaxant to his cocktail of sleep aids.

 

Shiro also makes is a point to check on him whenever he’s on patrol.

  
Towards the end of his first year Shiro and Matt announce that they’ve been chosen to help lead the first manned mission to Kerberos.

 

“It’ll be like two years straight of training and then it’ll be, probably almost a year to get there do the work, and come back.”

 

Shiro looks a little guilty, “I don’t know how much free time I’ll have.”

 

Keith smiles, “sure but it’s a big step not just for you but mankind.”

 

“Quoting the moon landing?” Shiro smirks.

  
“Paraphrasing actually.” Keith returns, “what can I say, there’s this giant nerd I know who went and got me interested in history.”

 

Shiro tries to put Keith into a headlock and rub his fist through his hair, “who’re you calling a nerd.”

 

Keith being as slippery as water slips out of it and behind Matt, “I’m calling the man who thinks dad sweaters are high fashion what he is.”

 

Katie just laughs at them when Matt chimes in, “you know that landing was totally faked right?”

 

All three of them groan and Katie uses her spoon to launch peas at her brother. “Gremlin, no wasting food.”

 

She smirks at him, “think of it as a gift, since in a couple years you’ll be eating three square freeze dried meal a day.”

 

Matt makes a face, “oh god, I could end up like dad.”

 

Katie snorts, “no dad’s just a freak.”

 

Keith smiles, “I dunno, mutations are genetic, and who knows, addiction to freeze dried awful might be a dominant gene. Though as a male Matt’s more likely to get it even if it’s recessive, Katie you might just be a carrier.”

 

Katie smirks triumphant, and Matt lets out a cry of anguish, “you are an evil bastard Kogane.”

 

“I don’t make the news I just report it Holt.”

****

 

 

His first summer he decides to take Katie out to the shack, he’s cleaned up the most incriminating stuff. But if he’s going to get anything more than the basics he needs someone who knows what they’re doing.

  
“So I found this out in the desert, but I can’t really get it to do more than get me spotty internet for free. I was wondering if you could help?”

 

Katie looks at the rig and screams, “this is some of the most beautiful tech I’ve...” Then she notices the set up, “Kogane, you brute forced this didn’t you?”

 

“Uh,” He says intelligently.

 

She rounds on him, “you, you took some advanced, probably government prototype tech, and tried to cram it with your basic bitch laptop? Not only does that sound like the premise of some creepypasta bullshit, but do you have any idea what you could be doing to your laptop? Or anything?”

 

“Uh,” He responds again.

 

She goes to his set up and begins fondly petting it, “don’t worry baby, mama’s here and she wont let the bad man touch you anymore.”

 

Keith stares at her, “I do still need to work on my papers with it.”

 

 _It’s a good thing she’ll probably never meet Regris, I don’t think the Blade, the Empire, the Rebels, or Voltron would be able to stop them._ Keith thinks dryly.

 

“By the way, do you know anything about bikes or anything like that?”

 

Katie looks over shoulder and he pulls out the skimmer’s anti-grave unit, it looks like an innocuous dark purple cube. One that happens to be floating over his palm.

 

“I think this could make a pretty sweet ride.”

 

Katie looks like she’s about to drool, then she shakes her head, “no, not my area of expertise, Shiro might know a bit she says with a smirk and a suggestive eyebrow waggle.”

 

Keith’s eyes narrow, “are you shipping us?”

 

She looks affronted then confused, “who taught you that word?”

 

“Matt, he said your friends have no sense of boundaries when it comes to the chemistry of other people.”

 

“My brother doesn’t use words that big,” she replies.

 

“I’m paraphrasing.”

****

 

 

During Shiro’s first visit home he suggests his bike plan to Shiro, “sounds like a project,” he smiles, “I think we could have it up and running before I have to leave for the mission. Sooner once you have basics down.”

 

They are interrupted by Matt screaming because Katie’s decided to yank on his cheek, hard.

 

“dumbass,” she growls, it’s almost Galra and Keith’s actually kind of proud of her.  
  
Matt turns the tables and lifts her off the ground, “we haven’t seen eachother in almost three months and this is how you greet me. My own sister.”

 

“Keith, can you take this to the dump out in the desert where it belongs.”

 

Katie wiggles out of his grasp and Keith scoops her up, “Kogane” her voice promises violence.

 

“Well Holt if you’re gonna be like that I’ll just adopt her, I’ve already done it once.” Keith smiles and Katie swings an arm over his shoulder.

 

“Never mind Kogane, take me away from the plebs of this place.”

 

“Good you can keep her!” Matt shouts.

 

“You guys know he’s serious right?” Shiro sighs.

 

They both look at Keith who beams, “I did get my older bro adopted, a younger sister shouldn’t be too hard.”

****

 

 

He spends summers in the shack, the rest of the year in the dorms. Shiro comes over on holidays and summers when he can mostly to help with the bike, it’s very slow work.

 

Shiro was right, now that he knows the basics he could finish it. But it seems wrong to do so without Shiro, it also wouldn’t be optimal, it would be just that. Basic.

****

 

 

His medical courses are moving at incredible speed, and eventually he’s accepted into the Garrison, the entrance is delayed since, emancipated or not, guardian approval (falsified) or not, he’s not eighteen and Colleen has said “I am not dealing with the accusation that we’re collecting child soldiers because you’re bored.”

 

Keith laughed bitterly at this but only because, he’s too old to be a child soldier, he’s seen child soldiers, the Empire loves to use them to break a subjugated species.

 

Still it’s annoying, they compromise at letting him apply for a grant and take college courses in order to continue his routine until the Garrison accepts him.

 

It also means that if he does have a serious nightmare it’s not in a space as public as the dorms.

****

 

 

Eventually the fateful day arrives, he’s accepted into the Garrison and is ready to begin basic. There’s a large number of cadets in his class. His flight scores manage to pass even Shiro’s, he said he would stop at his, he wasn’t even sure he could surpass his friend’s. But Shiro told him if he’s capable of more, to do more.

 

One of the other pilot recruits made a huge stink about it but Keith already left.

****

 

 

Colleen and Katie pulled some strings so he could see Shiro off to Kerberos with them, he hugged Shiro and then pushed against him, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tiny shift as he decided to scent him.

 

Shiro just smiles, Keith he learned, is very distant and aloof when people he doesn’t know are involved. The amount of affection he shows both the Shiroganes and the Holts is a testament to how he feels about them, especially since he rarely seems to bother with words.

 

“I wont finish the bike until you get back” he says.

 

Katie and Matt both exchange a look and yell, “GAY.” At the same time.

 

Keith goes up on his toes and flips them off over Shiro’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Galra Fact: Galra tend to be very closed outside of their prides, Blade especially, so when Keith called Shiro his friend in the last chapter he was actually using the human concept as he understands it. It's not until the Kerberos mission where he decides to scent Shiro, the Galra equivalent to screaming "This person is very close to me and I will fight you if you mess with them," at anyone who can pick up the scent.
> 
> Soundtrack  
> Nightmares: The Tower, Keiichi Okabe
> 
> Katie and Galra Tech: Genius, Takeshi Arai, Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura.
> 
> Kerberos: Snow in Summer, Keiichi Okabe


	7. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short bit on the aftermath of Kerberos going dark.

The first few months of the mission go smoothly, the Kerberos team contacts them at least once a week to check in and say “hi.”

 

Keith’s invited to these for which he’s incredibly grateful, none of those present will say it, but space is dangerous, even for the advanced species space is full of dangers.

 

So there’s an air of nervousness to each call.

****

 

 

Katie’s been coming over much more frequently to help with his rig since the mission left. Keith’s actually grateful for the company and if he decided to surreptitiously scent her during a hug, well, that just means he has a small pride of his own to show off once his mission is complete and the war is over.

 

Logically he knows the war probably wont be over until long after his death, Zarkon has had literal ages to consolidate power. But that kind of thinking would only work to drive him mad.

 

He’s actually over discussing plans for seeing if they can use the rig to break into the mission’s comm system so to surprise Colleen with a conversation with Matt and Samuel for her birthday when the news hits.

 

Keith makes a low noise of distress in his throat and Katie clings to him like she can’t support her own weight.

 

Colleen is frozen staring at the television.

 

There’s a long angry phone call to the Garrison that night, centered mostly on “what happened?” And “how dare you leave me to find out from the _news_ what happened to my family!”

****

 

 

The House Hazar cruiser orbiting the ice-ball at the edges of the sol system was not expecting to take on any “guests” but it’s not a poor surprise for Admiral Emara though. To be given the chance to secure both new slaves for Hazar and Zarkon’s prize is indeed a coup. One that may let her displace Thace as the family scion since the bastard decided to start playing politics.

 

Sub-commander Luzuk enters the bridge and salutes. “My lady, one of the prisoners we captured, it’s faint but he’s been marked by a Galra.”

 

Emara turns and arcs an eyebrow at him. “One of ours slumming it or have the Blade managed to get ahead of us? Again.”

The finality in the word again causes Luzuk to audibly swallow. “We-well, some of the chemical markers we, ah-analyzed suggest whoever claimed this earthling is a member of Hazar.”

 

Emara’s eyes go wide and she smiles viciously, exposing a traitor or even a debauched from within her own House would put her back on top. “Excellent work sub-commander, take me to this prisoner.”

****

 

 

Shiro is hanging by his arms blood dried on the back of his head. A tall female alien with, well they could only be described as tiger stripes beneath her eyes enters his cell. She’s stoic and imperious, could almost be called beautiful if not for the clear cruelty in her expression.

 

“Hook him up,” she tells the robots next to her, they proceed to attach a number of probes to his temples and spine.

 

They hurt, the needles entering his skin, but the electric shocks he receives for struggling hurt much more.

 

“Now, we are going to have a chat little primitive, you’ve been with one of my House. Answer my questions and life will go much easier for you” she croons in his ear.

 

Shiro stares at her like she’s insane, “I think I’d remember a seven foot purple space tiger.” He’s scared, terrified, and maybe mouthing of when intimidated is not the best habit to have picked up from Matt or Keith.

 

She nods at one of the machines, it makes an adjustment at his console. There’s a high sound like a dentist’s drill that rattles his bones and makes it feel like there’s glass shards in his veins. Shiro screams.

 

“Who marked you earthling?” Her voice goes from cold to soft again, it’s jarring, “this could be easier on you, the older male will almost certainly end up in a work camp, but your friend and you? You two are healthy and young. You’ll fetch a high price in the arena, where you’ll be pit against he most savage and vicious brutes and beasts of the Empire. Unless you tell me who marked you.”

 

Shiro shakes his head again tears and sweat streaking his face, “I don’t know anything.”

 

It goes like that until Shiro can’t even scream, the pain is crippling and his vision is blurred. “I don’t know why you are so insistent on protecting them, they’ve clearly abandoned you. Surely they knew we were coming, they could have taken you away.”

 

The robot looks to her, “commander, there are no falsehoods detected in the prisoner’s responses.”

 

“Impossible, there are no Galra in this system, especially none of ours, he must know something! And we will not lose sight of any traitors to the Empire!” She snarls before backhanding the head from the robot’s soldiers. “Idiot machines, clean this mess up!” She shouts, “we’ll begin questioning again in one Varga.”

 

She forces Shiro’s head to meet her gaze, “you have until we reach the arena to tell me what I want to know. You are going to the pits, that much is forgone, but you may spare your friend.”

 

She turns on her heel and stalks out of the room leaving Shiro to hang.

****

 

 

“Commander Saul, I have new combatants for the arena, Zarkon however wants this quadrant gone over with fine instruments, you are given leave to command here in my absence.” The commander on screen salutes, “vrepit sa my lady.”

 

“Set course for the Central Command and contact aunt Dorma, I want her to mediate the sale,” Luzuk only takes the time to salute before performing his task.

****

 

 

Keith uses the system he has to observe the probes, there’s electromagnetic interference during the time of the abduction but he sees enough. A few ticks of a Galra battlecruiser specifically, one of the High Command cruisers, he can’t make out the House symbol though.

 

He tries to calm himself, tries to work on something, the bike, his stances, anything. Nothing works his thoughts spin around and around. _Would Shiro end up in the work pits or the arena? Should I tell Katie and Colleen? No that would mean compromising myself and they wouldn’t be able to do anything. It wouldn’t help them to know what the team is facing right now. Oh Ancestors,_ the realization hits him. _Hazar is responsible for the majority of slaves moving through the Empire. Maybe if I can contact Kolivan? And what? Demand he risk Thace’s position for a few humans you like?_

 

It goes like that until he collapses from exhaustion, he can feel the presence he’s felt since he got here. The scanning equipment he has, that he’s managed to set up based on Katie’s system have picked up what could only be the Lion he’s searching for.

 

It’s so close but still just out of reach, he can feel himself burning with fury, especially now, Voltron’s needed, has been for the last ten thousand deca-phoebs, and the Lions have just sat in hiding the whole time.

 

He cries in anguish, he’s out in the middle of the desert, what starts as a human wail ends with something closer to a panther’s scream.

****

 

 

He’s sitting with Katie in her room, she’s putting something together, there are dark circles under her eyes and the bun she keeps her hair in when she’s working is coming undone. “You should get some sleep, you’re going to wreck yourself if you keep going like this.”

 

She gives him a hard look then huffs out a small laugh, “hypocrite. I’m not the one with Garrison training on Monday.”

 

Keith flops down next to her, “your mom asked me to nag you. She’s trying you know.”

 

Katie nods, “she’s restricting herself to official channels though.”

 

They sit in silence for a moment.

 

“Pilot error, it’s bullshit.”

 

Keith chuckles but there’s no humor, “Ryou, Shiro’s cousin said the same thing.”

 

Katie looks at him, “he knows it, I know it, you know it, mom knows it, I bet Shiro’s grandmother knows it too she’s just too polite to say.”

 

“What do you want to do about it?”

 

“I don’t know, I just,” she screams and throws her screwdriver, it actually embeds in the wall. “Nothing is working, nothing I think of works.”

 

Keith puts a hand on her shoulder and she sobs into his chest for a minute, “Katie, whatever you decide I’ll help. You’re mom’s helped me adjust, you and Matt and Shiro are the first real friends I’ve made in, well, ever. So I promise to help, but please, get some rest, I want whatever scheme you drag me into to be made with a clear head.”

 

She wipes her eyes and they both pretend she didn’t just breakdown, “only if you do to, I can’t have my loyal minion keeling over in the middle of my ‘schemes.’”

 

They sit in silence for a while longer.

 

“Before training starts back up I’m going to the Shiroganes, would you and Colleen like to come? I think they’d like to see you.”

 

“Yeah, that, that sounds normal, I think I need some normal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> Dark Kerberos: Despair, The World Ends With You ost
> 
> Emara the Cruel: Darkness of Mordor, Men of the West
> 
> Consolation: Amnesia, The World Ends With You ost


	8. Pidge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright so I'm actually using this summary to make two small announcements for the format of the next few chapters. Pidge will be using male pronouns until choosing to reveal herself to the group fully, it's slightly experimental on my part but it's meant to show her and Keith compartmentalizing while everyone else simply doesn't know, at first.
> 
> Second the next three chapters all take place over roughly the same time period but are told mostly from different characters perspectives.

The next couple of weeks go by relatively uneventfully, Keith learns exactly why the majority of the Garrison hates Iverson. Evidently the man has a tendency to put people where they are destined to flop, or at the very least, not excel.

  


It’s why he’s currently manning the communications rig while a larger man the reeks of stress and sweat is clearly trying to avoid puking in the engine bay.

  


All of this is topped off by the absolutely infuriating know-nothing greenhorn manning the helm. One who absolutely refuses to take any advice and instead keeps trying to show-off.

  


Luckily their pilot is so bad he crashes the simulator in the first five minutes.

  


Iverson gives them a chewing out, “can anyone tell me what went wrong.”

  


He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t, but he does anyway, because Iverson’s a prick. Keith clears his throat, “the instructor put a medical student with high marks in piloting craft on communications and let someone with low to abysmal piloting scores take the helm. For what I can imagine is justified as ‘overcoming your weaknesses’ but anyone with a brain can tell is ‘petty spite.’”

  


A hush falls over the crowd, and Iverson leans in, “my office Kogane, now.” It’s not shouting but there’s threat in it.

  


Keith rolls his eyes as he turns to follow Iverson, because the worst this man can do is give him a disciplinary mark. Antok would have had him training until his muscles screamed.

  


“Ooooh, golden boy Keith’s in trouble,” the useless pilot howls from behind him.

****

  


  


Iverson opens the door to his office to reveal a very guilty looking Katie over his computer. “What the hell!”

  


He grabs her and drags her away from his desk Keith growls low enough to be near inaudible but Iverson and Katie both tense being able to feel the vibrations.

  


Katie recovers first yanking her arm out of his grip, “you and I both know that pilot error was an excuse, I will find out what happened to my family.”  
  


Iverson snarls cutting her off, “I could have you charged with treason for this Miss Holt. Kogane, escort Miss Holt off the premises.” He hands her off to Keith, who’s earlier mouth off is evidently forgotten.

****

  


Katie walks next to Keith in silence his face has everything written across it. He’s pissed, Keith’s normally very social, even clingy, with people he likes. When he’s mad he goes cold and distant and he’s all business.

  


_What was I supposed to do force him to jeopardize his future to help me break into the Garrison?_

  


“Go home Katie,” is all he says she rounds on him.

  


“Or what you’ll have me arrested?”

  


“Iverson will,” she makes a noise of sheer unbridled frustration.

  


“Keith I couldn’t let you help me, you know that right? I can’t drag anyone else into this mess unless I have a concrete lead.” She shouts at him.

  


Keith barely acknowledges her rant, “go home Katie” it’s all he says before turning around and going back into the base.

****

  


_Okay, maybe I should have told him, but he doesn’t need to be a total dick about it._ Her phone dings about two hours later after she gets home, it’s a text from Keith.

  


KoolcatKeith: Hey, I’m not that mad, and I’m sorry, but Iverson’s been looming over my shoulder all week. Just for the love of my Ancestors Katie, tell me next time you try something like that, I’ll run what interference I can.

  


_Okay maybe Keith’s not a total dick._

  


KatiePidgeon: What a coincidence, because thanks to the disaster that was today, I’m going to need to try something drastic.

  


KoolcatKeith: Do I want to know?

  


KatiePidgeon: Considering I’ll be rooming with you?

  


She tosses the phone over her shoulder and marches upstairs. Grabbing a pair of scissors, taking a deep breath and….

****

  


Looking at the new her in the mirror she winces, “ugh, I look like Matt, Keith’s gonna give me so much shit.”

  


She takes a deep breath, resolves to punch Keith if he’s too horrible about it, then says “hi I’m Pidge Gunderson!” To her reflection.

****

  


She’s packing for the Garrison when her mom comes in. “I don’t approve you know.”

  


Katie (Pidge) freezes for a moment, “I know, but I have to find out what really happened up there.”

  


Strong but thin arms wrap around her shoulders, “I know sweetie, you wouldn’t be who you are if you didn’t. And for the record, while I don’t like this, I am proud of who you are.”

  


She doesn’t trust herself to look, “thanks mom.”

  


“Just comeback safe okay? I can’t lose all of you.”

  


Taking a breath she turns around wiping a tear out of her eye, her mom’s not even trying to hide hers. “I promise, and if I can, I’ll bring them home.”

  


Her mom doesn’t say anything, just hugs her again.

****

  


Iverson calls Keith into his office, to another loud middle school style “oooh,” from the boy that he’s starting to think of as ‘Hunk’s insecure friend.’ Instead of dedicating his name to memory since Keith’s inability to remember it seems to drive him nuts, which of course amuses Keith.

  


“Kogane, so sorry to disrupt your privacy,” Iverson says when he arrives (he’s clearly not) “but you have a roommate as of today. Meet cadet Gunderson, tech and communications field. He’ll be living with you from now until graduation. Or one of you washes out.” The last part is said with clear anticipation.

  


The boy (Katie) rolls his eyes once his back is turned to Iverson, “please call me Pidge I hope we can get along.”

  


Keith smiles personably, which for once is easy, “I’m sure we will.

****

  


Later in the privacy of their shared dorm Keith starts laughing, “I was half convinced you were fucking with me.”

  


Pidge (Katie) puts his hand on his hips, “nope Kogane, you’re stuck with me until I find what I want to know.”

  


“You know if it was anyone _but_ Iverson you would have been screwed right? You look exactly like-” Pidge holds up his hand with an annoyed sound.

  


“Not one more word Keith, I am well aware and very much want to puke every time I look in a mirror.”

  


Keith smiles and laughs to himself, then crosses his legs on his bed, “also, Pidge? I thought you hated being called that?”

  


He smiles fondly, and a little sad, and without words Keith gets it.

****

  


What’s become a regular theme for them is drinking hot beverages on the rooftop of the Garrison. Pidge managed to get a long range device that could hack the satellites and do scans for anything.

  


“Maybe this will help?” Keith produces a chip.

  


Pidge looks at it suspiciously for a moment, “this looks a bit like your desert tech.”

  


Keith just hums and looks out over the desert, “remember how the senior cadets got a tour of the R&D labs?”

  


“How criminal of you. You think it’ll work?” Keith smiles and Pidge realizes he’s going to be a shit.

  


“Well I had pick up something from my tech freaks siblings.” He says emphasizing the plural of sibling.

 

Okay maybe Pidge’s look turned fond, maybe, just for a minute, nothing shall be admitted for nothing can be proven.

 

Coughing the sappy mood away before grinning like a mad scientist and carefully plugging the chip into the current set up.

  


It takes a minute and it almost seems like it might be a waste.

  


Pidge types something, “I’m picking something up but it’s encrypted. Give me a couple seconds.”

  


After a full minute of furious typing, “Alright GOT IT! Whoa.”

  


Pidge’s voice fills with awe, “you gotta hear this.”

  


Keith leans in, and Pidge hands him one of his headphones, “this language isn’t anything I’ve heard before.”

  


Keith puts his ear to the headphones, and a chill goes down his spine. Because he has heard it before, growing up with it, it’s his first language.

  


Galra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Galra Fact: Galra have the ability to produce a low growl that while near inaudible does produce infra-sound, this was used primarily on their home world to startle prey into bolting or in dominance rituals.
> 
> Currently it is still used in the latter, but the former has been replaced by soldiers using it to intimidate prisoners or smoke out hidden enemies.


	9. Hunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk's a big guy with a lot of anxieties, being in class with his best friend should make it easier. Too bad his best friend has declared the new rising star of the Garrison his rival. And at least one sadistic teacher wants them all to work together.

Kieth’s on his way back when he literally runs into his next problem. The other actually seems surprised and stumbles, Keith falls back on his training and catches himself letting out another low growl of annoyance. The human whimpers a bit and Keith takes a deep breath, this person has nothing to do with his stress and frustration. Instead he offers the big guy a hand up.

 

“Oh, uh thanks,” the guy’s the engineer from that disastrous flight exam. He still smells like stress, though it’s stress and soap now. His breath is cloyingly bile smelling still, stress induced acid or something similar probably.

 

He’s babbling, Keith sighs, “c’mon,” the big guy looks at him like he just snapped at him.

 

“You’re breath smells like bile, which while I’m not opposed to talking I think you should get your stomach settled first.” He should have been more polite, the big guy shrinks back, “we need to discuss the flight training, that wont be the last time Iverson puts us in that position. I don’t like failing.”

****

 

 

Hunk is having a hard time, first he’s in a high stress situation with Iverson assigning two out of three of the crew to positions they’re not good at. He loves Lance like a brother and they’ve been friends since middle school, but Lance is not a good pilot. Sad thing is Keith isn’t wrong, they do need to work together, Lance could be a good pilot if he’d swallow his pride and ask someone for help.

 

Okay maybe not Keith, but it’s not like he asked Shiro when he was here either, too starstruck.

 

 _Oh man and now I have to deal with Keith, he’s in the med program and he’s probably got those Garrison antacids_ _th_ _at the murder my stomach and then he’s gonna be pissed because he’ll think I’m not being cooperative and he’s_ _already_ _having a bad day._ Hunk’s thoughts go into a death spiral and he beings to feel even more nauseous.

 

Hunk’s so consumed by his thoughts that he only just notices they’ve arrived in Keith’s room.

 

He looks around the room that’s relatively bare, save a couple pieces of civilian wear for when Keith’s out of uniform.

 

“Hey listen I know you’re medical and all but I really can’t handle those strong antacids.” Starts to voice the flow of thoughts in his head.

 

Keith pretends not to notice his rambling while he does, something, it looks like he’s making soup. Which would have Hunk’s mouth watering. If he didn’t know what kind of unnatural abomination the Garrison called soup.

 

Instead Keith hands him a cup that smells, spicy, it reminds him of something his grandad’s friends would make. “Is this galangal?”

 

Keith looks slightly surprised then grins, it’s probably the first time Hunk’s ever seen him smile, like for real. “I added some brown sugar, I don’t really notice sugar but I figured you’d appreciate it.”

 

Hunk takes a sip and sighs, sure it won’t take affect right away but the nostalgia value alone makes it worth it.

 

“I thought this kinda stuff was contraband?”

 

Keith’s smile takes on a sly mischievous edge and he opens his med student kit, then opens up a set of side compartments that are clearly a modification. Inside is a number of personal additions including things like devil’s claw and yep galangal. “Why work through the pain? You know,” he pulls out a vial of devil’s claw tincture, “this can be used with Tylenol as long as you take it about two hours apart, also less hard on the stomach then Ibuprofen.”

 

He tosses it to Hunk, “I know Iverson’s a dick during physical too. Fifteen to twenty drops, probably want to take it in something like sprite or powerade, stuff tastes awful, even to me.”

 

“Why are you doing this?” Hunk asks, Keith sits on his desk and taps one foot against it.

 

“I told you, I don’t like failing, and you’re stressing yourself out, which causes things like nausea. Which stresses you out, which, well, it goes,” he smirks, “ad nauseam.”

 

Hunk almost chokes, did notorious, antisocial, angry, angsty, golden boy Keith not only just offer me home remedies but do so with a joke? A pun no less?

 

Unable to stop himself, “did you just make a dad joke?”

 

Keith looks sad for a minute, it’s very small and minor if it had been literally anyone but Hunk they probably wouldn’t have noticed.

 

“Probably Shiro’s influence talking.”

 

 _Ah,_ Hunk shuffles a little awkwardly, “uh well thanks.”

 

Keith’s tone goes serious again, “hold it. I need you to work on getting that stress issue of yours under control. Further, if we’re paired up with fly-boy again I need to know he wont crash and burn.”

 

Hunk rubs the back of his neck, “yeah, I don’t think Lance’ll go for that, he doesn’t seem to think he needs help.”

 

Keith’s gaze goes completely cold and it’s actually slightly terrifying, “he needs help, he also needs to learn to take advice. It wont matter if Iverson sticks me on comms or Engineering because I’m decent on the prior, and you can walk me through the latter. I need to be able to walk him through piloting, which he needs, and since he needs it _we_ need it.”

 

Hunk eases backwards, “uh right, team’s only as strong as it’s weakest link right?”

 

Keith hops off his desk, “I’m not trying to be a jerk about this but I need this to go better.”

****

 

 

Hunk beats a hasty retreat and Keith sighs, _so much for teamwork._

 

He reaches to put away the tea set and hotplate “Fuck, he took my cup.”

****  


 

“That arrogant jack-ass said what!?” Lance is fuming, _great, there goes teamwork._ Hunk just sips the tea in he and Lance’s dorm. Belatedly realizing that the cup he has is Keith’s and he’ll have to return it, which means going back to Keith’s room. By himself, if Lance goes there will be a fight.

 

“-and like he could do better!” Lance is going full steam.

 

“Lance, we were both there for his practicals for full Garrison duty, he did do better.”

 

Wrong thing to say, “YOU’RE TAKING HIS SIDE!?”

 

Hunks sighs, “no, I’m not taking any sides I just want to pass and get a good job and help pappy and my sister.”

 

Lance stops, which is smart, because while Hunk is an easy going guy most of the time he’s an actual cave bear if someone messes with what’s important to him. “Keith has a point, we all have our strengths, which means we all need to compensate for each other.”

 

“Oh, and what’s mister oh so perfect Keith’s weakness huh?” Lance scoffs, he’s still on the defensive.

 

“His IT and Engineering scores are pretty average, and in case you haven’t noticed his people skills are pretty bad. You have him beat there.”

 

Lance smirks, “true, I’ve at least got a date coming up.”

 

Hunk looks away draining his tea, _well I suppose if you cast a wide enough net…_

 

“Where’d you get that anyway?” Hunk looks down, at the cup in his hands guilty.

 

“Care package,” he lies quickly, bringing Keith back into this will only set Lance off again.

 

“Aw man, you didn’t give me any!?”

 

Hunk narrows his eyes, “it was galangal, which you said tastes like dirt.”

 

“Excuse me for not wanting to drink boiled root juice.”

 

“Why must you hurt me like this Lance?”

****

 

 

It takes about three days for Hunk to work up the nerve to return the cup. Which is not helped by the fact that Lance seems intent to try and get a rise out of Keith whenever they’re in the same room.

 

Or that Keith seems to respond by adamantly refusing to commit Lance as a person to memory.

 

It’s so obvious that he’s doing it on purpose that Lance continuing to fall for it is just sad.

 

 _Nope_ , Hunk thinks, _this is very much not my battle._

 

Keith’s room is as bare as ever, at first Hunk thinks he’s out then he hears the water running. One of the few kindnesses of the Garrison is each dorm having a bathroom with a shower.

 

He considers just leaving the cup on the table when he notices them. Plans for, a hover bike? According to the blueprints it’s got an anti-grav generator which. _Wow, how did Keith get his hands on one of those? Especially one small enough to fit in a bike?_ The design is decent if nothing special, _could use a little tweaking, maybe a bit more aerodynamic here, move this there to offset the weight of the propulsion system-_ his thoughts are interrupted by a clipped, clearly angry “what are you doing?”

 

Hunk spins around face red, “uh I was,” _Keith is, oh holy crap sheathing a knife, why does he just carry around a knife? It looks like ceremonial dagger like something out of a video game. Wait his hair is wet and he doesn’t have shirt did he have the knife with him in the shower who does that? Crazies, crazies do that._

 

“Hunk, deep breaths, what are you doing here?”

 

“Returning your cup” he squeaks, yes Keith officially scares him.

 

Then Keith smiles it’s small and genuine and all threatening posture melts out of his stance which is weird to watch. Like watching some kind of big cat uncoil after deciding the gazelle is not worth the effort.

 

“You know, that was a gift from Shiro and his family, for my first year here they said. Matt gave me the first mix of tea to use with it. The bastards conspired on it.” He’s fond, and sad, which is weird because Hunk was (still kind of is) ready to bolt as fast as he can.

 

“Right I was just-”

 

Keith hums, “making notes on Shiro and mine’s project.”

 

He looks at Hunk with oh shit enthusiasm, “do you know how to finish this? I can but it would be basic as all heck.” He cuts off suddenly, going cold, “actually forget it, sorry I didn’t meant to freak you out.”

 

“Sure” his response surprises both of them. “I mean, you said it was your and Shiro’s project...”

 

Keith smiles, “I think he needs me to finish it, but, I can’t, I’m not an engineer, I’m a basic mechanic at best.”

 

Hunk nods and goes back to the schematics, “alright then.”

 

He makes sure to explain the how and why of his choices.

****

 

 

And that is how Hunk ended up at a shack out in the middle of actual no where. In the heat, with now AC.

 

“You seriously live out here?”

 

Keith hands him a half frozen water bottle and a wrench, “when I’m not in the barracks yes.”

 

Hunks shakes his head, “man this is no life.”

 

“I like it, it’s quiet, also private. The barracks are fine but there’s always people there, everyday.”

 

“Keith, up until Pidge arrived you had your own dorm.”

 

Keith gives a derisive snort, “yeah, I grew up on a base too, I’m used to there being people. But the people here aren’t my family. It’s a bunch of strangers looming around.”

 

Hunk nods, “I kinda get it, I have a niece and nephew, I used to help my sister take care of them. Lance actually has a huge family too so he’s probably feeling it the same way you are.”

 

“Who?” Keith asks, and to his credit manages to look genuinely confused.

 

“Keith, he’s not here, don’t do that.”

  
Keith’s face breaks out in a huge smile, “sorry, it’s just funny.”

 

“Only because you don’t pay attention to the ensuing rant.”

 

“I do, I just pretend not to, Hunk, I’ve been taught to be aware of my surrounding at all times.”

 

Hunk looks dubious.

 

“You sneak cookies into the simulator, Pidge doesn’t tattle because you share them, he also steals at least two extra when your not looking.”

  
“I knew it!”

 

“And Lance is convinced he only got saddled with cargo pilot because I edged him out of the running. He also thinks I am, in no particular order, a spy for the Russians, Germans, Ukrainians, and martians, all at once on at least one occasion. Secretly the love child of one of a revolving door of Garrison commanders. And an evil robot from another dimension, I think that one’s my favorite, if only because of the lecture you and Pidge gave him about the difference between dimensions and alternate realities.”

 

Hunk blinks at him.

 

“All. Times. Hunk.”

****

 

 

As they finish Hunk goes into the shack proper to wash his hands where he notices what looks like some conspiracy nutter nonsense.

 

“Interested in archaeology?” Hunk jumps a bit.

 

“You are like a freaking cat, I should get you a bell for your birthday. Archaeology?”

 

“I was looking for an energy signature that’s been buzzing around the area and found cave paintings and carvings at all the marked spots. Each one buzzes a bit more than the surrounding area, but I still can’t find the source.”

 

“That’s more Pidge’s thing than mine, if you needed something to detect the energy then I’m your guy. But finding the wave length itself not so much. Hey, the bike should be just about finished, wanna try it out?”

****

 

 

“You go first,” Hunk’s stunned.

 

“Wasn’t this your and Shiro’s project?”

 

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t have been finished without you. I think Shiro would approve.”

 

Then he smiles, “besides, can’t send the main act on stage first.”

 

Hunk laughs and thinks, _he_ _and Lance really are too similar to get along._

 

The bike handles well, like really well, better than anything Hunk’s ever ridden or drove.

 

He gets off and hands the reigns over, “where’d you get that anti-grav unit? I didn’t think even the Garrison had a prototype that smooth.”

 

“Found it,” is all Keith says before hoping on the bike, and okay, maybe his cockiness is a little deserved. He uses his momentum like a dancer, the whole machine is his body. Hunk might build them, but Keith makes them fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> Hunk: The Grocer's Village, Motoi Sakuraba
> 
> Mysteries of the Lion Caves: Desert Oasis, Motoi Sakuraba
> 
> The Bike: I am the Program, Mega Drive


	10. Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a lil hard on Lance, but only because I believe in him.

The Garrison was supposed to be a dream come true, it was supposed to finally let Lance shine. No older siblings to set the standard, no younger siblings to get in the way and need help. Just Lance and all the nearby cadets.

 

Everyone on equal footing, no one better or worse, better yet, Shiro graduated so he’s not even a student to compete against he’s; totally mentor material.  
  
Or he would have been if Lance had been able to make more than a high fangirl gasp the all of two times they were together before Kerberos.

 

To bad life doesn’t like Lance McClain and the year he enters the Garrison his classmate is Keith fucking Kogane. Okay sure he’s a year older, but the fuck? _Ace pilot, med student, and Shiro’s pet project? Fuck my life._ Lance thinks with no small amount of venom.

 

At least Iverson gets it, he gives Lance a chance to shine and Keith a chance to fail. _Or I could if Keith would shut up, can’t he see his back seat driving isn’t helping? I could do this if he’d just stop distracting me._

 

“Hunk if I have to clean vomit out of the engineering box again I’m going to be pissed.” He snarls, “and Keith _try_ not to fuck up the comm system like last time.”

 

“We lost the comm system because someone managed to clip the long range sensors trying a barrel roll in a mountain range.”

 

Lance decides to try it again, because he can, and fuck Keith.

 

They crash, Lance is waiting for the inevitable chewing out when Keith mouths off to Iverson, and fuck that, does he really think he’s sooo perfect that he can just say whatever he wants to whoever he wants?

 

“Ooooh, golden boy Keith’s in trouble,” bastard doesn’t even react. It’s like he’s a robot, from space, that’s probably it, he’s an evil robot from space.

 

“I need a shower,” Hunk groans before burping a bit, and yep, it smells like he’s gonna hurl.

 

Lance rubs his back, “c’mon big guy, you can make it.”

****

 

 

Hunk said he was going to get something to settle his stomach, he’s gone a while but when he comes back he’s holding a cup. Apparently he got ambushed by Keith on the way back, when he hears what Keith said it’s clear that the precious golden boy can’t accept responsibility for anything.

 

“He said what?! He flubs his job and then blames us for his screw up?!” Lance seethes, Hunk just sips his drink.

 

“He thinks he’s soooo perfect at everything that he can waltz around and give orders because he’s some wonder-boy that Shiro took pity on, and like he could do better.”

 

Hunk breaks his silence, “Lance, we were both there for his practicals for full Garrison duty, he did do better.”

 

Lance stares at him for a moment, _he’s right you’re third fiddle, always have been always will be._ “YOU’RE TAKING HIS SIDE.”

 

Hunks sighs, “no, I’m not taking any sides I just want to pass and get a good job and help pappy and my sister.”

 

What’s more important? Lance wants to shout, he doesn’t because he knows what’s important especially to Hunk. Also questioning those things is a no-no, he remembers the one fight Hunk ever got into and okay so he might not know how to fight but the guy is big and strong.

 

“Keith has a point, we all have our strengths, which means we all need to compensate for each other.” Okay ouch, _he’s right you know, Keith, and look, even Hunk’s agreeing with him so maybe it’s not everybody else._

 

Lance scowls “Oh, and what’s mister oh so perfect Keith’s weakness huh?”

 

“His IT and Engineering scores are pretty average, and in case you haven’t noticed his people skills are pretty bad. You have him beat there.”

 

Lance smirks _damn straight I do_ , “true, I’ve at least got a date coming up.”

****

 

 

Keith’s in one of his medical courses, some guy named Pidge replaced him, they crash and burn again. Iverson yells at them, again, Hunk actually pukes and they have to clean it up, again.

 

_Keith’s not the common variable._

 

He can’t yell at them though, everyone’s ashamed and annoyed with each other. Lance wants to snarl something at Iverson, why’s he picking on them? Keith’s not even here?

 

Turns out Pidge is a total nerd, and okay while most of what he says, especially when he and Hunk get into a thing with each other, goes over Lance’s head he’s pretty cool.

 

Pidge is also almost impossible to drag away from the garrison.

****

 

 

There’s a three day weekend, Hunk’s going home to visit his family, Lance can’t make it to Cuba, so he video chats instead.

 

“I’m totally gonna make granpa proud, there’s this other guy here, Keith, he thinks he’s hot stuff, but just you wait guys, I’ll leave him in the dust.”

 

He’s stuck alone the rest of the weekend, Pidge has locked himself in his dorm and is working on something.

 

So Lance is stuck wandering around town, picking up some junk food to sneak back onto base.

 

That’s when he notices that apparently there’s some old ass rock carvings out in the desert.

 

Not normally something he’s into but, there’s something about these.

 

_What the hell not like you have anything better to do._

 

Okay, he looks at them, they’re pretty cool, they’re old as balls but damn they weathered the ages really well, being super duper clear. There’s something uncanny about them, the air around them doesn’t feel like the rest of the desert, it’s cool and slightly humid.

 

He’s also completely alone out here, it’s not something he’s used to but, it’s nice, quiet.

 

He can almost feel a soothing purr in the back of his mind, like there’s something out here.

 

Something waiting just for him.

 

A snap and click followed by some whirring pulls him out of the blissed out daydream.

 

He searches around for a bit until he sees a disgustingly familiar braid, “Keith,” he hisses under his breath.

 

Honestly it’s gotta be fate, his rival managing to be everywhere he is, even on days like today.

 

It’s still super fucking annoying, and fate’s a jerk.

 

Despite him being far away Keith has apparently heard his name.

 

He whirls around and _holy shit he has a knife,_ Lance ducks behind a rock.

 

“Come out, I know you're out there!”

 

Ha, does that ever work? Who falls for that, ever?

 

Keith’s gotta be legitimately crazy, like antisocial loner golden boy is rival characteristic 101 but knife wielding antisocial loner is less rival, and more J.D.’s gonna blow up the school.

 

He looks around the rock and, Keith’s gone.

 

Someone taps his shoulder, and no he didn’t shriek what the fuck are you talking it was perfectly manly yell.

 

“Who are you and why are you spying on me?”

 

_Who am I? WHO AM I?!_

 

“I’m Lance, you know, you’re rival? We had a simulation run just last Tuesday!? And I’m not spying on you! You knife touting psycho, I just came out to see the carvings.”

 

Keith tilts his head a bit, “are you an engineer? No that’s Hunk.”

 

“LANCE MCCLAIN I’m a pilot!” He screams.

 

“Oh right, cargo.”

 

“Only because you edged me out of the place I should be so why don’t you just wash out already?”

 

Keith’s expression of confused realization becomes one of deadly cold, “excuse me?”

 

“No one wants you here. You have to have heard people talking, you’re rude, you mouth off to the instructors.”

 

There’s something in the air, a shift that makes Lance feel like this place might be haunted.

 

The soothing purr in the back of his head turns into a defensive growl.

 

“Well I’m not washing out, and I humor Iverson’s insistence on trying to screw his students instead of help them. He goes too far.”

 

“Iverson just wants us to learn how to do our jobs.”

 

“Iverson’s a prick who likes seeing people fail, he’s probably angry that he’s stuck in middle management and takes it out on everyone.”

 

“That’s just because you can’t respond to his teaching.”

 

“Neither can you! Your scores are still shit, mine are at least going up, because I listen to the people who know what they’re doing instead of spreading asshole rumors about my classmates!”

 

Lance blinks, “wait, what?”

 

Keith sighs, “have you really not gotten it? Like really? I know who you are Lance, I just don’t care because you’re a dick. You’re just another thing for me to overcome until I can succeed at what I’m here to do, that’s it.”

 

Keith stalks off muttering something under his breath in a language Lance doesn’t know.

****

 

 

Hunk stares at Lance mouth slightly agape, “wow, he actually said that to you?”

 

Lance sulks, “I know right? He’s super rude.”

 

Hunk eyes Lance, “and what’d you say?”

 

“What do you mean what’d I say?!”

 

Hunk puts his sketches in a folder and looks at Lance hard, “I know you Lance, and I know Keith.”

 

Lance bristles, “you’ve been hanging out with him? I knew it!”

 

Hunk groans, “I wouldn’t say we’re friends Lance I just helped him with a project, and you know what? I do like him, partially because you two are a lot a like in some ways.”

Lance makes an offended noise, “that’s the single worst thing you’ve ever said about me.”

 

Hunk laughs, “no it isn’t, besides you’re both driven, competitive, cocky, and miss your families.”

 

Lance looks like he’s about to mouth off when he says, “wait, what?”

 

“I don’t think Keith would have considered engineering or tech, but he’s been asking for tutoring from both Pidge and I and know what I heard? He didn’t do anything like that before now. Even Shiro had to hound him to do anything in the IT programs.”

 

Hunk crosses his arms and looks up to the ceiling, “if I had to guess it’s because he wants to prove that he can learn from the people around him and work as a team to show you up. That’s one major difference between you, he doesn’t talk much so it’s what he does that’s showing off.”

 

Lance is quiet for a minute, “what about the last part?”

 

Hunk rubs the back of his head, “not sure I should tell you this, but, I guess he didn’t say it was private. Keith grew up on a military base with, he basically considers the whole place his extended family. He’s used to tripping over people, he’s used to having family around all the time. Which he doesn’t actually have here, which I thought sounds familiar.”

 

Lance pouts, “then why doesn’t he try joining anyone for anything?”

 

Hunk shrugs, “like I said that’s where you’re different, you go out and try and make friends, Keith doesn’t. Also I totally told you that talking behind his back was going to bite you in the ass, that’s why he yelled at you isn’t it?”

 

Lance doesn’t reply, and he also finds it hard to sleep that night.

 

It’s only until that purr comes back that he does.

 

He dreams he’s enveloped in a presence like an ocean.

****

 

 

The next three days Keith is stuck in the engineer’s seat while Hunk is hung up with strep.

 

Hunk’s at least been nice enough to lend him cliff notes for the most likely problems faced in the simulation.

  
He runs into Lance while leaving.

 

“Simulation’s in half an hour,” is all Lance says Keith marches past him when Lance grabs his arm to stop him.

 

“We aren’t friends, and for the record, I still don’t like you, but, we do need to pass this, so… If I’m on pilot duty, maybe, I’ll listen to your advice, if it doesn’t suck.”

 

Lance turns bright red slightly indignant and walks off, leaving Keith wondering if Lance has managed to catch Hunk’s bug and has gone delirious with fever.

****

 

 

The simulation ends, it was rocky, and they almost managed to light the thing on fire, but they didn’t crash once.

 

Iverson is seething.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack  
> Lance's Worst Enemy: Music Box, Akira Yamaoka
> 
> Desert Confrontation: Vaas Fight, Brian Tyler
> 
> Cease Fire: Amnesia, The World Ends With You ost


	11. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so two announcements, first, there will be a small gap in time between this fic and the next Return of Voltron. This is just so I can finalize the outlines and drafts I have so I can keep my updates consistent. Second I had an idea to write a sort of spinoff, a version of this AU where Keith's raised by his biological extended family instead of making it to the Blade. If you would be interested (warning, there will be lots of angst) let me know in the comments!

Keith’s spending his off base time doing what he’s been doing for four plus years now, trying to find the fucking lion.

 

He’s like ninety percent sure it’s the blue lion, which makes since, when someone tried to explain quintessence to him. Blue always seemed infuriating, unlike yellow or green, blue was slippery, and always moving.

 

The only spectrum of quintessence that he dislikes more is black, black is the color used by the druids, ironically the color of life, the culmination of all the colors. The druids and Haggar use it to crush everything between them and dominance of the universe. Their ability to manipulate it is nothing short of terrifying, between the robeasts, Drule fleshcrafting, and the many, many infamous torture techniques used by them it’s hard to associate black with the joys of life, twisted as it is to cause pain.

 

He’s also frustrated by his interaction with Lance, he hadn’t been expecting to see him out there, it wasn’t right to growl at him, he’s come to close to jeopardizing his mission a few times already.

 

What he does know is he only has about a week and a half, the cave carvings are a story, they tell of the arrival of the lion, the slumber of the lion, and a second arrival that will awaken the lion.

 

At first Keith thought the arrival was some sort of metaphor but now that he’s looking at it working through the slow translation, both an old human dialect and smattering of Altean, as well as something else Keith can’t identify.

 

It’s a date though clear as day, a date fast approaching.

****

 

 

Pidge’s been hold up in the dorms all day working on what’s apparently a long range scan system, apparently he’s been listening in on some signals out in the void of space by Kerberos.

 

“You said you’d tell me if you found something,” Keith frowns.

 

Pidge waves him off, “I am telling you, these were just test runs and I wanted to be sure of what I was hearing.”

 

Then his look gets sly, “what about you? Going off and hiding in your desert shack all weekend.”

 

“Hunk helped me finish the bike, I’ve finally been able to get out to the cave carvings. I’ve been looking for something out here for a while.”

 

He considers how much Pidge should know, knowing more than the base is dangerous, especially if the druids decide to take an interest here.

 

“I think I might be close to a breakthrough, but I can’t be sure for another week give or take.”

 

Pidge eyes him hard, “what’s so special about a week?”

 

“The carvings talk about an arrival, I’ve made some arrangements already, once the date happens I’ll be ready to move.”

 

“Then I will too;” Pidge declares.

 

Keith smiles but shakes his head, “I don’t know what precisely I’m waiting for, I have an idea but I’m not certain. I need you to see if you can get any more info from those readings.”

****

 

 

The real surprise comes from Lance who, while not giving up his rivalry, or shitty attitude, decided to take some advice, to his embarrassment, a hidden engineering glitch that he missed almost started a fire in the simulation. Lance’s piloting while rocky enough to cause Hunk to puke had he been there, was capable enough to get them through the simulation in one piece.

 

The look on Iverson’s face is worth it. Nothing like passing a class taught by a teacher you hate to really bask in it.

****

 

 

Returning the files to Hunk later that evening Keith notices that Lance is video chatting with someone. Keith finds himself slightly curious as to Lance’s family, but ultimately decides that it isn’t his place to look over Lance’s shoulder. Putting Hunk’s papers on the table, he starts putting together a cup of peppermint tea for him.

 

Remaining unconcerned until “hey Lance, who’s the cutey with the braid?” He pretends not to notice, that is how Keith handles these things.

 

Lance looks over his shoulder and scowls, “go away Keith, you’re a bad influence on my sisters!”

 

Keith cocks his head to the side, for once he’s not actually fucking with Lance, he’s legitimately confused.

 

“Wait? That’s Keith? I thought you hated him?” One of Lance’s sisters says, or what Keith assumes are sisters, one of them might be a cousin, there’s at least three people on screen.

 

Another of the girls whispers into her ear, then they both giggle and the one speaking nods sagely, “ah that’s how it is then?”

 

Lance whirls back to them, “he’s here because Hunk lent him homework you brat! Like, no, don’t even, that’s just sick.”

 

The giggling intensifies, “when are you gonna invite him over?”

 

Lance snarls and Keith finds himself uncharacteristically invested in watching this play out.

 

“Yeah, if you aren’t gonna take that opportunity the least you could do is let one of us have a shot!”

 

Suddenly feeling uncomfortably like one of the wares of his House Keith decides to beat a hasty retreat, telling Hunk his tea’s ready before quickly exiting.

 

He doesn’t leave fast enough to miss the words, “aw Annie you scared him off.”

 

Followed by “that was too cute, Lance you need to bring him home next time you come.”

****

 

 

Pidge is laughing intensely at his pain, “wow, Lance is going to loathe you forever after this. RIP buddy.”

 

“You are a terrible friend who thrives on my suffering aren’t you?”

 

“Only as much as you,” he replies with a smug smile.

 

“Great, now Lance actually has a reason to be difficult.”

 

Pidge pats his leg, “well who knows, maybe that arrival will be an alien invasion and everyone will forget all about it.”

 

Keith forces a smile, but the thought turns his stomach.

****

 

 

Eventually, after as much planning as he could do the promised day arrives, Keith parks the hover bike, loaded with bombs of his own making and a special something he has in case he needs a distraction.

 

The day goes by uneventfully, Lance is back to being relatively difficult, not as bad as two weeks back, but not pleasant.

 

Keith decides to let him work it out of his system, if he starts backsliding too much Keith will have to reestablish boundaries.

 

Keith finds himself on the roof, having come straight from medical and in need of some quiet waiting for Pidge to join him.

****

 

 

Lance drags Hunk out of their dorm, “c’mon Hunk after today we need some relaxation, we’ll go to town, grab some drinks, some food, maybe pick up a couple of girls, it’ll be great.”

 

Hunk looks dubious, “you think Pidge will want to go?”

 

Lance makes a face, “it’s not good for him to stay cooped up on base all night, besides it’ll only be more fun with all of us.”

 

That’s when they see Pidge clearly sneaking out with a huge bag strapped to his shoulders.

 

“Where’s he going in such a hurry?”

****

 

 

Pidge sets up and then clicks his tongue in irritation, “chatty bunch tonight, they’re apparently having a small flip out over something called ‘Voltron.’”

 

Keith’s composure breaks and he whirls to face Pidge who gives him a look and opens his mouth to ask but before he can say anything Lance and Hunk arrive on the roof, _great more complications._

 

“Aaand what are you two doing out here?” Lance asks with a distinct air of “I may in fact tattle.”

 

“Listening to aliens shout about a super weapon called Voltron.”

 

Keith wants to scream into his hands, but Lance reacts like he can’t decide if Pidge is genuinely crazy or being horribly sarcastic.

 

Small mercies.

 

Hunk seems to be trying to figure out what Pidge’s machine is on his own, “stop that.”

 

Hunk mopes and backs off.

 

“Are you here for aliens too then Keith? Where’s your tinfoil hat?”

 

Keith looks very confused, “why would I need an aluminum hat?”

 

Pidge snickers, “Lance, Keith is very pop-culture deprived. Hunk last warning.”

 

Lance looks slightly offended, “since when are you two friends? I thought we were friends?”

 

Pidge smiles “we are friends. But Keith’s been friends with me for like three years.”

 

Keith grins, “three and a half. Hunk if you don’t stop you will get bit just an fyi.”

 

Hunk looks at Pidge who gives what could only be described as a feral smile. One that leaves Keith considering if his friend might not actually have some Galra.

 

Then a sound like thunder draws their eyes to the sky and the bright burning light hurtling towards the earth.


End file.
